Deals Quote by Steven Pinker
“Effective education may also require co-opting old faculties to deal with new demands. . . Because much of the content of education is not cognitively natural, the process of mastering it may not always be easy and pleasant, notwithstanding the mantra that learning is fun.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Stuff of Thought, Steven Pinker, 2005
Education often forces us to use mental tools that feel unnatural, making learning difficult despite claims it should be fun.
In simple terms: Learning can be hard when it feels unnatural.
Key Takeaway
Adapt teaching to match natural cognition.
Themes
education
learning
cognition
adaptation
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
educational
psychological
When to use this quote
- school curricula
- online courses
- skill training
- adult education
Key Concepts
cognitive load
intrinsic motivation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can curricula be redesigned for natural cognition?
- What subjects resist natural learning?
A Different Perspective
Not all subjects can be fully naturalized; some complexity remains.
![“There's no reason why one need not look at the content of education just as one is expanding the availability of school, because it doesn't cost more money to get them [a] better education. It requires better textbooks, it requires a vision, it requires a determination, but it's not very expensive…” quote by Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/80d/amartya-sen-2518_availability_there-s-no-reason-why-one-need-not-look_875032.jpg)
![“I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. [salutes]” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/bill-hicks-970_america_i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumor_655.jpg)
