Inside the Mind of a Newborn Baby | Claudia Passos Ferreira | TED
In her TED Talk titled “Inside the Mind of a Newborn Baby,” Claudia Passos Ferreira delves into the complex and often underestimated consciousness of newborns. Opening with vivid imagery of a baby awakening to a bewildering world, Ferreira challenges the traditional view that infants are mere passive observers. Through contemporary neuroscience, she presents compelling evidence that babies possess a rich inner life from birth.
Ferreira explores groundbreaking studies that include the detection of brain signals in newborns that mirror those found in conscious adults. This suggests that even days after birth, infants actively engage with their environment and process sounds consciously. She describes the “audible paradigm,” showcasing how babies respond to unexpected stimuli, indicating a level of awareness previously thought impossible at such a young age.
The implications of her findings extend beyond behavioral observations—raising ethical considerations in medical practices, such as the necessity for anesthesia during surgeries on infants. Ultimately, Ferreira redefines how we perceive consciousness, portraying newborns not as blank slates but as intricate beings already navigating their surroundings. Her talk invites us to reconsider the journey of consciousness, emphasizing the continuity of awareness from prenatal life to death.
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Video “Inside the Mind of a Newborn Baby | Claudia Passos Ferreira | TED” was uploaded on 11/07/2025 to Youtube Channel TED