--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philosophers and psychologists have long…" description: "\"Philosophers and psychologists have long puzzled over the question of how we know as much as we do despite our limited experiences. One way is to see h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/alison-gopnik-4163_children_philosophers-and-psychologists-have-long_60200.png" --- # Philosophers and psychologists have long puzzled over the… ![“Philosophers and psychologists have long puzzled over the question of how we know as much as we do despite our limited experiences. One way is to see how children learn. Another example is consciousness. The concept is usually explored by armchair academics. Looking at kids expands our conceptions…” quote by Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/alison-gopnik-4163_children_philosophers-and-psychologists-have-long_60200.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/alison-gopnik-4163_children_philosophers-and-psychologists-have-long_60200.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/alison-gopnik-4163_children_philosophers-and-psychologists-have-long_60200.png) > “Philosophers and psychologists have long puzzled over the question of how we know as much as we do despite our limited experiences. One way is to see how children learn. Another example is consciousness. The concept is usually explored by armchair academics. Looking at kids expands our conceptions of consciousness.” [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We infer vast knowledge from limited experience by observing how children acquire concepts and how consciousness emerges beyond formal theory. **In simple terms:** Children’s learning reveals the breadth of human cognition. Key Takeaway Learning is a window into consciousness. Themes cognitive development epistemology consciousness learning theory philosophy of mind Mood inquisitive thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - early childhood education - psychology research - philosophical debate - AI model training Key Concepts knowledge acquisition experience limits innate curiosity Practical Applications - Design curricula that mimic child learning - Inform AI perception models Questions to Reflect On - How does child learning differ from adult learning? - What does this imply about the nature of consciousness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) ## Related quotes > [Scientists and philosophers tend to treat knowledge, imagination and love as if they were all very separate parts of human nature. But when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/scientists-and-philosophers-tend-to-treat-knowledge-imagination-and/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [The real excitement is collaborating with computer scientists and neuroscientists and starting to understand in detail how children learn so much so quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/the-real-excitement-is-collaborating-with-computer-scientists-and/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Teaching is a very effective way to get children to learn something specific - this tube squeaks, say, or a squish then a press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/teaching-is-a-very-effective-way-to-get-children-to-learn-something/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Scientists learn about the world in three ways: They analyze statistical patterns in the data, they do experiments, and they learn from the data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/scientists-learn-about-the-world-in-three-ways-they-analyze/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [We learn differently as children than as adults. For grown-ups, learning a new skill is painful, attention-demanding, and slow. Children learn unconsciously and effortlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/we-learn-differently-as-children-than-as-adults-for-grown-ups/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“If the child is a budding psychologist, we parents are the laboratory rats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/if-the-child-is-a-budding-psychologist-we-parents-are-the-laboratory/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Being a developmental psychologist didn't make me any better at dealing with my own children, no. I muddled through, and, believe me, fretted and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/being-a-developmental-psychologist-didn-t-make-me-any-better-at/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Keep clear of psychiatrists unless you know that they are also Christians. Otherwise they start with the assumption that your religion is an illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/keep-clear-of-psychiatrists-unless-you-know-that-they-are-also/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [When learning is recognized in the fabric of life and encouraged, when families make their decisions based on what leads to more interesting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-dodd/when-learning-is-recognized-in-the-fabric-of-life-and-encouraged-when/) [Sandra Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-dodd/) > [If I want my children to learn what bomba and plena is, I will teach them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-guzman/if-i-want-my-children-to-learn-what-bomba-and-plena-is-i-will-teach/) [Luis Guzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-guzman/) > [It is important for children to learn, whether they want to pursue music or any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himesh-reshammiya/it-is-important-for-children-to-learn-whether-they-want-to-pursue/) [Himesh Reshammiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himesh-reshammiya/) > [“...children learn much more, far more quickly than adults. Do you know why that is? Because they're open-minded. Because they want to know and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/children-learn-much-more-far-more-quickly-than-adults-do-you-know-why/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-learn-more-from-what-you-are-than-what-you-teach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Children learn best by observing adults action, not by receiving instructions!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-mendoza/children-learn-best-by-observing-adults-action-not-by-receiving/) Liz Mendoza > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More by Alison Gopnik > [Adults often assume that most learning is the result of teaching and that exploratory, spontaneous learning is unusual. But actually, spontaneous learning is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/adults-often-assume-that-most-learning-is-the-result-of-teaching-and/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Adults tend to think they have much free will. Kids younger than six are less sure. They may be more realistic!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/adults-tend-to-think-they-have-much-free-will-kids-younger-than-six/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [From an evolutionary perspective children are, literally, designed to learn. Childhood is a special period of protected immaturity. It gives the young breathing time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/from-an-evolutionary-perspective-children-are-literally-designed-to/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [We don't wife our husbands and we don't child our parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/we-don-t-wife-our-husbands-and-we-don-t-child-our-parents/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [There is a tension between our desire to get our kids to turn out a particular way versus letting them develop to be their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/there-is-a-tension-between-our-desire-to-get-our-kids-to-turn-out-a/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“Instead, it may be that experience itself has changed our brains so that we perceive and interpret the world in a certain way. Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/instead-it-may-be-that-experience-itself-has-changed-our-brains-so/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Caring for children has always been one of the deepest and most satisfying things that a human being does, and yet it is hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/caring-for-children-has-always-been-one-of-the-deepest-and-most/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Imaginary friends are one of the weirder forms of pretend play in childhood. But the research shows that imaginary friends actually help children understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/imaginary-friends-are-one-of-the-weirder-forms-of-pretend-play-in/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“Like their parents, the Korean children used more verbs than the English-speaking kids, while the English-speaking kids used more nouns. But in addition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/like-their-parents-the-korean-children-used-more-verbs-than-the/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“We decided to become development psychologists and study children because there aren't any Martians. These brilliant beings with the little bodies and big heads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/we-decided-to-become-development-psychologists-and-study-children/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [Each new generation of children grows up in the new environment its parents have created, and each generation of brains becomes wired in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/each-new-generation-of-children-grows-up-in-the-new-environment-its/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [I'm the oldest of six children and I had my own first baby when I was 23. So I've always been interested in babies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/i-m-the-oldest-of-six-children-and-i-had-my-own-first-baby-when-i-was/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“‎Literature is the equivalent of the climate scientist’s computer simulations: set up some new starting conditions, run the whole complicated process and see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/literature-is-the-equivalent-of-the-climate-scientist-s-computer/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [The brain knows the real secret of seduction, more effective than even music and martinis. Just keep whispering, 'Gee, you are really special' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/the-brain-knows-the-real-secret-of-seduction-more-effective-than-even/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [I think, at the end of the century we'll have a generation of parents and a generation of children who won't have had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/i-think-at-the-end-of-the-century-we-ll-have-a-generation-of-parents/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) [Explore all 115 Alison Gopnik quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Philosophers and psychologists have long puzzled over the question of how we know as much as we do despite our limited experiences. One way is to see how children learn. Another example is consciousness. The concept is usually explored by armchair academics. 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