For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World

by Sasha Sagan

You sometimes hear people say, “Children are born scientists.” This is true in that when we are little we are full of questions and wonder, but there are some significant differences. If little children were really born scientists, they would be better at employing the scientific method. Imagine a four-year-old observing some strange thing and then formulating a hypothesis, devising a controlled experiment, observing the results, looking at the data, and revising their previous position. It would be adorable and impressive, but surprising. Another way in which small children are not very scientific is that they tend not to consider the source. They usually take anyone in a position of authority at face value. It’s very hard for them to imagine that grown-ups might be misinformed, biased, or have some ulterior motive. This is part of what makes children so vulnerable and so easy to confuse or indoctrinate. It’s also one of the hardest things to learn.