Abstract：Departing from the Delphi Oracle, this article contends that knowing ourselves requires us to realize the species properties that are common to humans. The article argues that it is language and thought—the two fundamental species properties—that distinguish humans from all other species in the living world. Language and thought hold a relation of identity: language is a system for generating thought, and thought is what is generated by language. They are common to humans and in important ways distinctive to the human species. Through looking back on the relevant discourse in intellectual history, this article reviews the epistemic tradition of generativity, universality, and creativity concerning language and thought among the thinkers and scientists, and emphasizes the “Miracle Creed” that scientists adhere to in the process of revealing the “simplicity” behind the complex appearances. In addition, the article reiterates the “Galilean Challenge” of language and thought, and argues for the “Strong Minimalist Thesis” approach to language research as well as the “Speech Act” perspective of the referential relation between words and objects. In the concluding remarks, the article revisits the common species properties and the crises that human beings are faced with, calling for more attention to and consideration of these issues, and alerting to the grave impact these crises may have on human existence.
