It seems that we never stop learning, at least we don’t until the last day of our existence. The advancement of science has allowed us to know that we have different ways of learning and acquiring knowledge. Even when we finish school, institute or university we continue learning.
In this article we will learn the reason why we never stop learning not even in old age, as well as the way in which we learn and acquire knowledge.
Learning is the ability to acquire new knowledge through experience, observation, interaction and reflection
From our conception until the last day of our existence we have the ability to learn by nature, since we are social beings and are subject to constantly interacting with others. The family is the first unit of interaction of the human being and it is it that will provide us with the first essential learning to be able to interact with others and survive.
There are many people who believe or think that we learn only in one way; however, With the passage of time, the different types of learning that exist have become known In general, the bases of learning are established through our senses and it is through them that we capture the stimuli that will be synthesized and processed by understanding.
Learning is subject to our perceptions and our emotional states There are various studies that have allowed us to decipher how memory works and how experience and observation influence when developing knowledge and modifying our behavior.
Which are the mediating elements of learning? There are two elements inherent to the human condition through which we learn: desire to learn and autonomous will. The first is the determination to learn current knowledge in the sociocultural environment, it generates satisfaction and pleasure. The second refers to a person being self-aware, identifying their desires at the same time.
Do we stop learning at some stage in life?
Neuroscientist and researcher Mariano Sigman says that our gray matter (brain) never stops changing, therefore, we never stop learning. Next, the reasons why we never stop learning will be explained.
1. We don’t stop learning because we are human
Human beings have senses and perceive the world in different ways, we have feelings and emotions. We learn because of the capacity we have, just as animals learn natural behaviors for their survival, humans also do it to ensure our safety, pleasure, food, etc. Therefore, it is impossible to learn without taking into consideration our own human nature.
2. We do not stop learning because learning is inevitable
Experiences, our perceptions and senses form new neural connections. This process is not in our control, as it is part of our own body and is generated automatically.
A stimulus will generate a response in the person and this response will be remembered. If the stimulus was favorable, we will try to experience it again, but if it was negative, we will try to avoid it at all costs. It is for this reason that it is inevitable for all people to learn something. Many times we are not able to perceive the new things we learn but every experience in itself brings with it learning.
3. We don’t stop learning because we want something in life
In general, all people have a tendency to want to improve our living conditions; That is why we always seek to obtain some object, person or situation that favors our absences, not only physically but also psychologically. We adapt to the system to get what we want such as success, love, peace, happiness (causes of what we learn) are some examples of what we long to have in life.
We are very curious social beings by nature. We explore the world since we are babies, so initially we seek to feel textures and flavors through our mouths. Likewise, we want to touch everything around us and everything we can feel. We question what, why, for what and how very frequently about what is happening around us. Our curiosity is innate and that even makes it necessary that our education must be modified, since we learn best from the things that truly cause us curiosity or interest.
5. We don’t stop learning because the world amazes us
It is very difficult for us not to be interested in knowing more about the world we live in. We are interested in knowing about plants, animals, how other people live, etc.
The planet where we live gives us a countless amount of stimuli, but it also perplexes us with the beauty and mystery of the works, musical compositions, talents of other people, etc. It is an endless number of sensations that we can perceive through our senses and it is practically inevitable to want to know more about what surrounds us.
6. We don’t stop learning because we want to be in control
We don’t want an earthquake to take us by surprise, just like the weather. Therefore, we usually want to have control of natural events in order to avoid accidents or to protect ourselves, survive or feed them as a species. We learn because we have to control our own lives to be able to decide the role we have on this planet.
We have various needs that arise from our own nature and instincts such as walking, dressing, interacting with our family, friends, knowing streets, cities, performing functions in a job, playing a sport, wanting to generate money through an activity, etc. We learn not merely to do, but to develop new ways of doing when these still do not exist
7. We don’t stop learning because we want to know who we are
We are interested in knowing who we are, where we were born, who our parents and grandparents were, and other relatives such as uncles and great-uncles. Learn with/from others, since we feel identified with them, by interacting and learning simultaneously with others.
We are interested in generating learning communities that benefit us and feel better individually and collectively We have a great need to know about ourselves and why we are the way we are, because we are interested in our identity.
8. We don’t stop learning because we are not alone
The relationship we generate with others helps us learn to live with them, to be like them and also acquire new knowledge. We learn with our parents, uncles, brothers, cousins, teachers, friends, etc. We learn socially with all the people we interact directly or indirectly
9. We do not stop learning because we are in contact with technology
We learn while we listen to music, watch a series or a movie, or watch the news, we even learn from what we hear on the radio or on our cell phone. It is important to recognize that technological means provide us with constant learning. Nowadays, the telephone we had at home is increasingly losing its function because cell phones can be a form of portable contact that we can carry with us. Even when you have a cell phone, Whether we like it or not, we are forced to adapt to application updates Likewise, we seek to know technology so as not to remain outdated people.
10. We don’t stop learning thanks to neuroplasticity
Brain plasticity, also called neuroplasticity, is a neurobiological learning process. Therefore, neuroplasticity has to do with the ability of our gray matter (brain) to restructure itself, adapt and recover from new and certain situations. Our neurons create networks to be able to communicate with each other when we learn something new and when we put our learning into practice they become stronger, making communication and interconnection easier. When our brain captures stimuli, our memory and learning are exercised.
Our brain has the ability to adapt to our environment, and can even generate modifications in its structure in order to compensate for dysfunctions generated by brain injuries or the nervous system in general We can demonstrate the adaptability of the brain in individuals who lose the ability to hear or see. These people manage to develop in a more significant way other areas of the brain whose functions are more related to perception through the other senses we have.
