A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “learning”. Follow an idea across the archive.
A replication of a 2023 neuroscience study on brain entrainment and learning found that the original effect likely doesn't exist, revealing how the study obscured key issues through statistical averaging and highlighting how AI tools are democratizing scientific scrutiny.
Scott Alexander examines the effectiveness of education by analyzing knowledge retention, questioning the value of schooling beyond basic skills.
Scott examines 'critical windows' in human development, comparing them to AI learning processes and discussing their mysterious nature.
Scott Alexander examines why skills plateau, proposing decay and interference hypotheses to explain the phenomenon across various fields.
Scott Alexander analyzes a study showing Concerta improves ADHD children's attention but not their learning, and speculates on the reasons behind this unexpected result.
The review examines John Holt's 'How Children Fail', critiquing traditional education and suggesting modern alternatives to improve learning.
Scott Alexander advocates for 'Socratic grilling' as a valuable learning tool, urging people not to mistake genuine confusion and questioning for arrogance or challenges to authority.
The post reviews research on adult neurogenesis, initially presenting evidence for its existence and importance, then reveals a new study suggesting it doesn't occur in humans, examining the implications of this potential field-wide error.
Scott Alexander explores the difficulties of learning and explaining complex ideas, advocating for diverse approaches and collaborative learning despite internet criticism.
Scott Alexander reviews 'Surfing Uncertainty' by Andy Clark, exploring the predictive processing model of brain function and its wide-ranging explanatory power.
Scott Alexander explores why medical residency test scores plateau after the first few years, proposing theories related to knowledge retention and individual differences in learning.
Scott criticizes the approach to mysticism popularized by Robert Anton Wilson, arguing it provides false rewards and promotes harmful dabbling instead of genuine practice.