I think there’s a tendency to view ultralearning, the deep, intense self-education characterized by the MIT Challenge, as something mostly useful to students. Students have to do a lot of learning, so therefore, they would benefit the most from being able to do it faster or more efficiently. I actually think it’s the opposite. Ultralearning […]
What’s the Difference Between Learning an Art and a Science?
What’s the difference between learning physics and painting? Well, on the surface, almost everything is different. Physics uses math, painting uses brushstrokes. Physics requires abstract thinking, painting requires concrete perception. But, at a deeper level, learning painting and physics has a lot of similarities. They both involve concepts (force, composition), skills (calculus, color mixing) and […]
There Are No Hard Subjects, Only Missing Prerequisites
The common view of learning is that some subjects are clearly harder than others. Quantum mechanics is a lot harder than, say, learning state capitals. This idea points to some domains of knowledge as being intrinsically harder than others. A related idea, being that if some ideas are intrinsically harder than others, and some people […]
Ultralearning Case Study: Learning Cognitive Science
Recently, I introduced the concept of ultralearning—deep, intense self-education. This kind of learning is characterized by grappling with deep concepts and hard practice. My bigger learning projects have used this approach out of necessity. If you’re trying to learn something like differential equations or Chinese characters in a short period of time, those constraints make […]
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.