Babies also easily and naturally solve new problems that are far beyond the abilities of the most powerful computers, says Meltzoff. They think, make predictions, look for explanations and even do experiments. Meltzoff equates a baby s learning process with the process used by scientists seeking to understand the world around them. As adults we have the capacity to do science because we were once babies, he says. We have this curiosity that in children is called play.
Scientists just have bigger and more expensive toys.
It s not that children are little scientists but that scientists are big children. In the book, the authors explore why children s brains are more flexible than adults and why what we learn at one point influences what we can learn later. They also question the popular notion that listening to Mozart can enhance intelligence. Playing Mozart in the crib or showing a baby flashcards is no substitute for a parent talking, playing, making faces, and just paying attention to a baby, says Meltzoff. Our book argues that human beings were designed by evolution to both learn and teach, Meltzoff adds.