Synthesized answer
The provided passages do not explicitly state the central thesis of the "Treatise on the Origin of Language (1772)". However, [Passage 1] indicates that the text, written by Johann Gottfried Herder, begins with the question: "Were human beings, left to their natural abilities, able to invent language for themselves?" [1] This suggests that the origin and human capacity for language invention are key areas of inquiry within the work.
While the question posed indicates the *subject* of the text, the passages do not reveal Herder's *answer* to this question or the broader argument he develops, which would constitute the central thesis. Therefore, a full answer to what the central thesis is cannot be provided based on the given snippets.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
Title: Herder: Philosophical Writings by Johann Gottfried Herder Description: Publisher Description Categories: Philosophy Pages: 488 Snippet: Johann <b>Gottfried Herder</b> Michael N. Forster. <b>Treatise on the Origin of Language</b> ( <b>1772</b> ) Vocabula sunt notae rerum.1 Cicero First part : Were human beings , left to their natural abilities , able to invent language for themselves ? 2 ...