Principia Discordia

Principia Discordia => Techmology and Scientism => Topic started by: Captain Utopia on June 16, 2010, 06:26:03 AM

Title: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Captain Utopia on June 16, 2010, 06:26:03 AM
I can't recall where I read that it might - by easing the formation and usage of generalities and highlighting exceptions.  We do seem to be able to learn and function while forgetting almost everything we experience - single days, weeks or even entire years.. but I'm not particularly happy with that explanation.
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Telarus on June 16, 2010, 07:16:32 AM
First it is a mountain, then it isn't a mountain, then it is a mountain again.   :fnord:
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: frogsicle on June 20, 2010, 02:07:39 AM
Don't forget the part where forgetting meaningless details allows for the recall of important ones without having to flip through our heads like an extremely overstuffed filing cabinet.
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Requia ☣ on June 20, 2010, 03:23:23 AM
What you saw before might be related to reinforcement, going over things multiple times makes them easier to remember.  It's possible that forgetting aid in learning in that it makes a person both more likely and more able to go over material a second time.
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Triple Zero on June 21, 2010, 07:50:53 AM
Quote from: Captain Utopia on June 16, 2010, 06:26:03 AM
Does forgetting aid learning?

I can't recall where I read that it might -

:mittens:

:lulz:
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Captain Utopia on June 21, 2010, 04:40:00 PM
 :argh!:  But at the same time, it's not like I did learn anything I could recall later  :wink:

I guess there's no way to answer this question without, say, building an AI which had perfect recollection.
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: AFK on June 21, 2010, 09:13:04 PM
Is it that forgetting aids learning, or that learning necessitates forgetting? 
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Captain Utopia on June 21, 2010, 09:16:55 PM
Or is forgetting just a side-effect of our squishy brain, and it's a miracle that we function at all?
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Telarus on June 21, 2010, 10:12:49 PM
http://frank.itlab.us/forgetting/

Read the "Curve of Forgetting" section lower on the page.

Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Captain Utopia on June 22, 2010, 02:42:05 AM
Quote from: Telarus on June 21, 2010, 10:12:49 PM
http://frank.itlab.us/forgetting/

Read the "Curve of Forgetting" section lower on the page.

Huh... I interpret that as: "How to learn despite the tendency to forget almost everything"
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: Telarus on June 22, 2010, 03:08:31 AM
That's the point. Do you really want to remember every cough and chair squeek from the lecture 3 weeks ago when you're taking the mid-term and mentally scanning back for the specific name of Mediterranean 'Orientalizing-Era' female sculptures with stiff poses, and stylized, highly patterned hair?
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: The Johnny on June 24, 2010, 02:11:00 AM

Or does AIDS forget learning  :fnord:
Title: Re: Does forgetting aid learning?
Post by: NotPublished on June 24, 2010, 03:07:31 AM
I don't think forgetting helps with learning

I think when your uncomfortable, you know you are learning something (until you can make it comfortable)