The idea is that, because so much brain development goes on between nought and three, it is vital for children to be stimulated and taught from a very early age, as brain cells that are not wired up might then be lost for ever. Use it or lose it, runs the argument. Johnson's studies suggest this is a mistake. They actively contribute to their own brain development. For example, we've estimated that by four months, a baby will have made more than 3m eye movements, which go to establishing patterns in their higher visual centres.
Extra stimulation is a waste because babies are programmed to stimulate themselves as necessary.
Ultimately, the net may contribute to understanding the fiendishly complex dance that goes on between genes and environment to wire up the brain. Either the brain is programmed to wire up in a certain way or it responds to the environment. Our work with the net supports the notion that there is a third way. It seems that, from the beginning, we all have a strong drive towards certain basic behaviour, such as looking at faces or listening to the human voice. If you were brought up by monkeys, your brain would have a different set of responses from someone who is surrounded by human faces.