On dialogue, argumentation and reasoning in small children

Don’t tell me children are not able to reason and argue…
A small selection
Son: about 2 years and a half old. Mother and father: two academics of undefined age (“don’t ask to a lady how old she is!”, how they put it in Italy; I will apply the same rule to my husband, in this case)


Socratic dialogue
« Mammi », why is papa at work ?
‘Cause he needs to earn money to buy things.

For example, mozzarella?

Yes, that’s important. Papa works to buy mozzarella.

And why does he stay in the office all day long? I mean, do you need a lot of money just to buy some mozzarella??

...embarrassed silence.

Babies’ education
Little sister is eating some solid food in which “mammi” had put some Grana cheese. Little sister seems not to appreciate it and tends to spit it out
“Why are you spitting it out? (standpoint) It’s Grana cheese! (argument based on the universally acknowledged endoxon: Grana cheese is tasty”

On definition
“Mammi”, are you going to the mums’ playground, the university?

Family relations.
Husband: “wife, I am going”.
He goes.
Son (to his mother): “wife, you know, your mother is my grandmother”.

On heaven.
Son: Why has he gone to heaven?
Mum: you know, everybody goes to heaven at a certain point. Everyone of us.
Son: I see. But I need to know why.

On wooden ceilings
You know, “mammi”, this ceiling once was a tree.
Who told you?
The grandfather did. Then they cut the tree and made the ceiling.
Right.
And what was our house doing when there was a tree on the top of it instead of a ceiling?

On cannons.
I have a cannon “mammi”, now I will shoot you!
The battle starts.
“mammi”: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Are you ok?
No, I am not. I am full of holes now.
And are you feeling well?
Not quite. I think I am dead.
Can you cook while you are dead?
No, I suppose I can’t. People do not do things while they are dead, unfortunately.
Let me help you…

Recent metaphors and similes (produced this week).
(1) < “Mammi” goes to pick him up at the nursery. She waits out of the door, which is a decorated opaque glass>.
You know “mammi”, I have seen you out of the door. You looked like a BIG OMELETTE
(???)

(2) Young boy drinks water from a bottle that had stayed for some time out of the fridge. It is a very hot day. The water is warm
“mammi”: Oh sorry, it is warm, let me change it!
Noooooooo, I like it, IT IS LIKE HAVING THE SUN IN MY GLASS

Women in research _ Press Release by the FSO

Science and Technology in Switzerland
In Switzerland and in Europe scientific research remains essentially male
Neuchâtel, 07.12.2009 (FSO) – Although science is no longer a male prerogative, an analysis by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) of the European Commission's publication "She Figures 2009" shows that in Switzerland, as elsewhere in Europe, gender equality has not yet been accomplished in this domain. While the numbers show that women's participation in scientific research has generally been growing at a faster rate than men's over the past decade, this trend has not yet led to gender equality, either in Switzerland or in the rest of Europe.
Published every three years, since 2003 "She Figures" has presented indicators on women's participation in scientific research in Europe. It is used by the European Union as a point of reference to evaluate progress towards gender equality in this field. The figures presented here refer mainly to data from 2006 and 2007.

Press release, December 7, 2009
www.bfs.admin.ch