Dr. Terry Sejnowski

And I'm a PhD physicist, so I went through all of the classes in theoretical physics. And it was really the problems that really were the core of becoming a good physicist. You can memorize the equations, but that doesn't mean you understand how to use the equations.

So this is a battle that's going on right now in schools. What you've just said is absolutely right. You need both. We have two major learning systems. We have a cognitive learning system, which is cortical. We have a procedural learning system, which is subcortical, basal ganglia. And the two go hand in hand. If you want to become good at anything, the two are going to help each other.

So this is a battle that's going on right now in schools. What you've just said is absolutely right. You need both. We have two major learning systems. We have a cognitive learning system, which is cortical. We have a procedural learning system, which is subcortical, basal ganglia. And the two go hand in hand. If you want to become good at anything, the two are going to help each other.

So this is a battle that's going on right now in schools. What you've just said is absolutely right. You need both. We have two major learning systems. We have a cognitive learning system, which is cortical. We have a procedural learning system, which is subcortical, basal ganglia. And the two go hand in hand. If you want to become good at anything, the two are going to help each other.

And what's going on right now in schools, in California at least, is that they're trying to get rid of the procedural.

And what's going on right now in schools, in California at least, is that they're trying to get rid of the procedural.

And what's going on right now in schools, in California at least, is that they're trying to get rid of the procedural.

They don't want students to practice because it's going to be, you know, you're stressing them. You don't want them to feel that, you know, that they're having difficulty. But it can do everything.

They don't want students to practice because it's going to be, you know, you're stressing them. You don't want them to feel that, you know, that they're having difficulty. But it can do everything.

They don't want students to practice because it's going to be, you know, you're stressing them. You don't want them to feel that, you know, that they're having difficulty. But it can do everything.

It's crazy. It's crazy. And I'll tell you, Barbara Oakley and I have a MOOC, Massive Open Online Course, on learning how to learn. And it helps students. We aimed it at students, but it actually has been taken by 4 million people in 200 countries, ages 10 to 90. What is this called? Learning How to Learn.

It's crazy. It's crazy. And I'll tell you, Barbara Oakley and I have a MOOC, Massive Open Online Course, on learning how to learn. And it helps students. We aimed it at students, but it actually has been taken by 4 million people in 200 countries, ages 10 to 90. What is this called? Learning How to Learn.

It's crazy. It's crazy. And I'll tell you, Barbara Oakley and I have a MOOC, Massive Open Online Course, on learning how to learn. And it helps students. We aimed it at students, but it actually has been taken by 4 million people in 200 countries, ages 10 to 90. What is this called? Learning How to Learn.

No, it's free, completely free. Amazing. And, you know, I get incredible feedback, you know, fan letters almost every day.

No, it's free, completely free. Amazing. And, you know, I get incredible feedback, you know, fan letters almost every day.

No, it's free, completely free. Amazing. And, you know, I get incredible feedback, you know, fan letters almost every day.

You know, you've put your finger on it, which is that, and this is what we teach the students, is that you have to, the way the brain works, right, is not, it doesn't memorize things like a computer, right? But it has to be active learning. You have to actively engage.

You know, you've put your finger on it, which is that, and this is what we teach the students, is that you have to, the way the brain works, right, is not, it doesn't memorize things like a computer, right? But it has to be active learning. You have to actively engage.

You know, you've put your finger on it, which is that, and this is what we teach the students, is that you have to, the way the brain works, right, is not, it doesn't memorize things like a computer, right? But it has to be active learning. You have to actively engage.

In fact, when you're trying to solve a problem on your own, this is where you're really learning by trial and error, and that's the procedural system. But if someone tells you what the right answer is,