Johann Gottfried Herder was a German philosopher, theologian, and literary critic born in 1744. He is best known for his ideas on cultural nationalism and the importance of language in shaping human experience. Herder believed that each culture has its unique spirit, which he referred to as Volksgeist, and that understanding this spirit is essential for appreciating a nation's identity. Herder's work laid the groundwork for later thinkers in the fields of Romanticism and cultural anthropology. He emphasized the value of folk traditions and the arts, arguing that they reflect the collective consciousness of a people. His influence can be seen in the development of modern concepts of nationalism and cultural identity.