King Lear, written by William Shakespeare around 1604-1606, is a tragedy that follows the story of King Lear, who decides to retire and divide his kingdom among his three daughters: Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. The division is based on the eloquence of their declarations of love for him. However, Lear's youngest and favorite daughter, Cordelia, refuses to flatter him and is disinherited. The play unfolds with Lear's descent into madness, the betrayal by his elder daughters, and the subplot involving the Earl of Gloucester and his sons. Ultimately, the play ends in tragedy with the deaths of Lear, Cordelia, and several other main characters, highlighting themes of deception, power, and the consequences of poor judgment[1][2][5].
Originally published in 1940 and revised in 1972, this book is a classic guide to intelligent reading. It describes the art of reading as the process by which a mind elevates itself through its own operations on the symbols of readable matter. The authors emphasize active reading, highlighting the importance of keen observation, available memory, range of imagination, and an intellect trained in analysis and reflection. The book provides practical lessons on how to read books effectively, including inspectional reading, analytical reading, and syntopical reading, to achieve a deeper understanding of the material.
Written in 1938, 'Experience and Education' is a critical examination of educational theories by John Dewey. Dewey argues that neither traditional nor progressive education is adequate because they lack a carefully developed philosophy of experience. He emphasizes the importance of experiential learning, interaction, and continuity in educational experiences. The book highlights the need for educators to create learning situations that are both historical and social, and to integrate everyday experiences into the educational process. Dewey stresses that education must be based on a sound philosophy of experience to avoid being mis-educative and to promote genuine growth and learning.
Published in 1866, 'Crime and Punishment' is a psychological novel set in St. Petersburg, Russia. It revolves around Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished and intellectually gifted former student who formulates a theory that some individuals are morally justified in committing crimes for the greater good of society. Raskolnikov puts this theory to the test by murdering an old pawnbroker and her half-sister, leading to a profound exploration of his psychological and emotional struggles with guilt, paranoia, and the consequences of his actions. The novel delves into socio-economic disparities, moral dilemmas, and the psychology of criminals, making it a classic of Russian literature and existential thought[2][4][5].
Cell Biology by the Numbers offers a unique perspective on cell biology by quantifying biological phenomena. It explores key numbers that define cellular processes, such as sizes, concentrations, energies, and rates, providing insights for students and researchers. The book emphasizes the importance of quantitative reasoning in biology.
A few weeks ago, I sat beside Andy Matuschak to record how he reads a textbook.
Even though my own job is to learn things, I was shocked with how much more intense, painstaking, and effective his learning process was.
So I asked if we could record a conversation about how he learns and a bunch of other topics:
* How he identifies and interrogates his confusion (much harder than it seems, and requires an extremely effortful and slow pace)
* Why memorization is essential to understanding and decision-making
* How come some people (like Tyler Cowen) can integrate so much information without an explicit note taking or spaced repetition system.
* How LLMs and video games will change education
* How independent researchers and writers can make money
* The balance of freedom and discipline in education
* Why we produce fewer von Neumann-like prodigies nowadays
* How multi-trillion dollar companies like Apple (where he was previously responsible for bedrock iOS features) manage to coordinate millions of different considerations (from the cost of different components to the needs of users, etc) into new products designed by 10s of 1000s of people.
Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Read the full transcript here. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes.
To see Andy’s process in action, check out the video where we record him studying a quantum physics textbook, talking aloud about his thought process, and using his memory system prototype to internalize the material.
You can check out his website and personal notes, and follow him on Twitter.
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Timestamps
(00:00:52) - Skillful reading
(00:02:30) - Do people care about understanding?
(00:06:52) - Structuring effective self-teaching
(00:16:37) - Memory and forgetting
(00:33:10) - Andy’s memory practice
(00:40:07) - Intellectual stamina
(00:44:27) - New media for learning (video, games, streaming)
(00:58:51) - Schools are designed for the median student
(01:05:12) - Is learning inherently miserable?
(01:11:57) - How Andy would structure his kids’ education
(01:30:00) - The usefulness of hypertext
(01:41:22) - How computer tools enable iteration
(01:50:44) - Monetizing public work
(02:08:36) - Spaced repetition
(02:10:16) - Andy’s personal website and notes
(02:12:44) - Working at Apple
(02:19:25) - Spaced repetition 2
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