Teach you a learning method to quickly master knowledge

Editor's note ： Facing the continuous upgrading and iteration of Technology , As a technical student It needs constant self-learning and iteration . Feynman is an interesting and erudite scientist , His learning skills can be replicated .

Feynman's learning skills are a great way to master a lot of knowledge , I hope it inspires you .

Feynman illustration by Sunny Labh inspired by ZenPencils

Richard · Feynman （Richard Feynman） Considered one of the most incredible figures in the history of Science . Dr Feynman yes 1965 Nobel Prize winner in quantum electrodynamics ( And J. Schwinger and Tomonaga Together ), He is a great educator and a great physicist .

  Frankly speaking , Feynman is both a genius and a clown .“ Deep thinking ” and “ Happy to be a clown ” Not two separate parts of the split personality .——Freeman Dyson, 1988 Comments on Feynman in .

Feynman at Caltech

Richard · Feynman's genius lies in his three volumes of physics 《 Feynman's physics handout 》（The Feynman Lectures on Physics）, This is according to him 1961-1963 Adapted from a speech at the California Institute of technology in .

Richard · Feynman (Richard Feynman) The high school I attended as a teenager did not offer any calculus courses . When he was in high school , He decided to teach himself calculus , And read 《 Practical calculus 》.

Credits: Melinda Baldwin

Feynman always believed that , If one cannot explain a thing in simple words , Then he didn't understand it . Albert · Einstein once said something similar . Whether or not this idea comes from Feynman , This idea is all right , in fact , This is also the basis of Feynman's learning method . Feynman is often thought of as “ Great interpreter ”, Because he can do it in a way that people with a non scientific background can understand , Explain complex concepts in Science in an extremely easy to understand way , Especially physics .

He opened a new notebook , On the title page of the book ：“ Record what I don't know ”（NOTEBOOK OF THINGS I DON’T KNOW ABOUT）. This is his first time ( But not for the last time ) Reorganize his knowledge . He spent weeks unraveling every branch of Physics , Oil the parts , And then assemble them , At the same time, we have been looking for original boundaries and inconsistencies . He tried to find the core of every subject .

—— James · Gleick （James Gleick） Comment on Richard · Feynman's biography

What is Feynman technology ？

Feynman's learning skills consist of four simple steps ：

• Choose a topic you want to understand , And start learning it

• Pretend you're going to a class , A child , Or an unfamiliar professor of the subject

• When you get stuck , Return to the original resource materials

• Simplify and organize

step 1：

Feynman technology is applicable to almost any subject and concept , It is not limited to mathematics or physics , It can be applied to a wider range of fields . The first step in using this technique is to choose a topic , And start studying it .

Now? , Learning does not mean merely remembering knowledge .

in fact , Feynman himself has always opposed the culture of rote learning , He has always believed that one should learn and understand principles , Instead of memorizing facts or formulas . Another good way to learn is to write . Writing on paper stimulates the hippocampus of the brain , This part of the brain is mainly responsible for memory and learning .

step 2：

If you want to master something , Then teach it to others . Teaching is a powerful tool for learning .

Explain a concept in your own words , And try to explain it to your child or someone who is completely unfamiliar with the topic . You can also pretend to explain to a rubber duck on the table .

The idea is , Try to break things down in as simple and clear a language as possible . Try to use simple terms and vocabulary , Don't confine yourself to your field of study . You can also give one or two examples , Make things easier to understand . If you do , It will be easier for you to understand something deeper , And help you build connections of knowledge .

Everything is made up of atoms , An atom is a small particle in perpetual motion , When they are not far apart , Will attract each other , But once they squeeze each other , They will repel each other . In this sentence , There is a lot of information about the world .—— He thinks that , The most valuable information in scientific knowledge , It states the atomic hypothesis in one sentence with the fewest words .

step 3：

This is a very critical step , Can let you find your own shortcomings .

When you explain or write something in simple language , You will always come across places where it is difficult to explain or make connections or express examples . Now , You have to go back to resource materials , Books or periodicals or the Internet , No matter what your main reference is , Go back and have a look , And fill your knowledge gaps . You can find your own gap through a few examples , For example, it is impossible to explain or simplify something , Forgot some important points , wait . Our idea is to go back to the past , Revise again . This will help you understand things better .

In this step , You know where you need to work and focus , This is an important part of the learning process . Understand your limitations , Then trying to better understand them is the focus of this step , It works like magic .

step 4：

Now it's time to test the results . Once you correct your mistakes , You can simplify your explanation , Make it better .

Whenever there is a problem , You can always go back to step two and step three , Until you have a clear understanding of the subject . Your notes and examples are now in the simplest form possible , You have a deeper understanding of the subject of study . You can follow this method over and over again , Until you feel you have mastered the concept .

Dr. Feynman teaching at Caltech

When your final explanation is ready , You can communicate it to your colleagues 、 Friends or professionals who are familiar with your field , And reflect on your understanding of things . such “ Learning while testing ”（Test-and-Learn） The method is very effective .

Feynman always believed that , Truth exists in simplicity , When things are simple and elegant , People can better understand them . If one tends to make things too complicated , This often indicates his lack of deep understanding . The idea is , Make things simple enough for anyone to understand , Then use this tool to gain a deeper understanding of knowledge .

Feynman's learning skills can help you learn and understand things from different perspectives . It can not only be used for academic purposes , It can also be used to build an enterprise , Building mental models, etc .

Feynman technology is to master a large number of letters A good way to relax , You may as well try , Compared with the input of learning , Internalization and absorption after learning is more important ！

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