Abstract

This chapter explores how number concepts are acquired, emphasizing that such concepts are not innate nor derived from direct perceptual experience. Building on earlier discussions, it advances the hypothesis that number concepts emerge through engagement with numerals as initially de-semanticized symbols, whose meanings are shaped by structured practices like counting. The chapter begins by clarifying what it means to possess number concepts, then reviews empirical findings from numerical cognition and developmental psychology. It highlights that while quantical abilities show some correlation with numerical cognition, exposure to number talk and symbolic practices plays a far more critical role. Studies on children’s counting development further support this view, showing that understanding numerical meaning arises only after mastering the syntactic rules of counting.