I’ve long argued that good analogies are a key to learning well. Abstract subjects like math, science and philosophy are difficult to learn because they aren’t anchored to anything in our experience. Analogies moor these ideas adrift. But analogies are also hard to construct. They’re a creative act, so there’s no step-by-step which will produce […]
Why do Engineers Think They’ll Be Good at Picking Stocks?
I’ve met a lot of engineers who have become fascinated with investing in the stock market. Except it’s usually not straightforward index investing (which is probably the main thing non-professionals should be investing in) but something convoluted involving a lot of math, options and stock picking. Anyone who studies finance or economics probably understands why […]
Is it Better to Review Back or Learn Ahead?
I have a lot of open questions about learning. One of those is whether it is better to review back or learn ahead to maintain knowledge. Reviewing back would be going through material you’ve already completed and testing yourself on it again. This is the principle through which spaced repetition systems work. I’m currently reviewing […]
Why Learn “Useless” Things?
Early on when Vat and I were learning Korean, he complained to me about a vocabulary list he was learning from. The list had intermediate-level words such as “technique” and “to brighten” to which Vat said, “when am I ever going to use these words?” The complaint was a fair one, we were still in […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.