The hottest Learning Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Why doesn't my boss (or employee) make better decisions? | #4

The Pole • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jan 23
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Innovators face resistance from standardizers when introducing new ideas, but persistence can lead to successful adoption.
  2. Using leverage to solve problems can be risky, so it's crucial to model reality accurately to mitigate risks.
  3. Information asymmetry between individuals, with different levels of knowledge and confidence, can impede optimal decision-making.

In the beginning....

The Bell Ringer • 99 implied HN points • 09 Dec 20
🚌 Education Learning
  1. The author took time to rethink their publication on education topics, showing the importance of reflection before action.
  2. The new newsletter aims to cover important issues related to education and hopes to engage readers.
  3. Subscribers are encouraged to share the newsletter with friends if they find it valuable, highlighting the value of community support.

Two Years of Frame-Changing Ideas

Creative Destruction • 36 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. The newsletter saw significant growth in subscribers and views in 2023, reaching around 2,360 subscribers and 12,000 views per month on average.
  2. Top posts of 2023 focused on reframing productivity, promoting climate action, and transforming worldviews.
  3. Plans for 2024 include focusing on audience growth, establishing clear branding around the concept of reframing, and aiming to make the newsletter financially viable.

The game of Nim

Infinitely More • 10 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🚌 Education Learning
  1. The game of Nim is based on a smart mathematical strategy that lets informed players almost always win against those who don't know the trick.
  2. In Nim, players take turns removing coins from piles, and the goal is to take the last coin to win.
  3. Anyone, even kids, can learn the winning strategy and easily beat more experienced players who don't know it.

Lessons on learning

Philosophy in Practice • 1 HN point • 12 Jun 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Don't search for a single project or solution to fix all problems. Consistency and dedication are key to progress.
  2. Focus on pursuing your interests rather than short-term economic value. Genuine interest fuels true learning.
  3. To excel in a subject, understand its foundational ideas and current state of the art. Good ideas arise from deep knowledge.
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An intro to Functions [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 19 implied HN points • 21 Jun 22
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Understanding functions in math helps in becoming a better programmer by teaching how to frame problems as inputs and equations.
  2. Mastering math functions translates well to coding, as both domains involve transformations on inputs to get desired outputs.
  3. To get better at functions, focus on topics like Linear Programming and Precalculus, which can sharpen problem-solving and understanding of transformations.

How Your Mindset Determines Your Course

Perspectives • 10 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Your mindset can shape your experiences and outcomes. Believing that you can learn and improve helps you tackle challenges better.
  2. Praising effort, rather than innate intelligence, encourages persistence and a love for learning in kids. It's better to focus on hard work rather than just being 'smart.'
  3. Changing how you view your abilities is key. When you stop seeing things as fixed and treat them as skills to develop, you open up more opportunities to grow.

The Most Important Skill You Were Never Taught

The Palindrome • 4 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Problem-solving is a huge part of jobs in tech and science, making it just as important as technical skills. Learning effective problem-solving can greatly enhance your overall abilities.
  2. If you're stuck, it helps to look for solutions that others have found. Using resources like Stack Overflow can save time and effort.
  3. Thinking about problems in different ways, like using analogies, can provide new insights and lead to easier solutions. Imagining that a solution already exists can also help you move forward creatively.

Help Technically get better next year

Technically • 10 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Learning
  1. Technically wants to improve in 2025, and they need feedback from users to do that.
  2. They have two surveys: one to help organize their learning materials and another to find out what AI topics users want to learn about.
  3. Participating in the surveys is quick and easy, and it will help make Technically more valuable for everyone next year.

My Cave of Echoes

DruGroup • 39 implied HN points • 14 Dec 21
📖 Philosophy Learning
  1. It's important to be friends with people who are different from you. Learning from their experiences can help expand your thinking.
  2. Listen more and ask questions when talking to others. Understanding their views can help you see where they are coming from.
  3. Try to consider other viewpoints even if you don't agree. It helps avoid misunderstanding and can make your own beliefs stronger.

How to get good at Exponents and Logs[Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 19 implied HN points • 31 May 22
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Logs and exponents are essential for understanding time/space complexity and optimizing numerical computations. They are fundamental for advanced math and important for fields like Machine Learning.
  2. To get good at logs and exponents, practice on Khan Academy. It offers lectures and problems to help you master the basics efficiently.
  3. For those interested in AI/Data Science, mastering log transformations is crucial. Utilize resources like Brilliant's questions and focus on deep learning concepts involving logs to advance your skills.

Get a Year of This Newsletter Free

Technology Made Simple • 19 implied HN points • 16 May 22
🚌 Education Learning
  1. The author is offering a free one-year premium subscription to their newsletter as a tribute to their grandmother, who was a dedicated educator.
  2. The grandmother's life story is shared, emphasizing her commitment to education and how she impacted the lives of her family members and students.
  3. Education is highlighted as a powerful tool for success, especially during challenging times, and the importance of spreading knowledge and opportunities to others is emphasized.

How To Cultivate Attention In Our Distracted World

A Mug of Insights • 6 HN points • 01 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Learning
  1. Great thinkers and leaders in history valued long stretches of isolated thinking time to cultivate attention and critical thinking.
  2. Attention is more than just following instructions or seeking answers; it's about fostering curiosity and seeing the world with fresh eyes.
  3. Sustained attention is crucial in our modern world of constant distractions, allowing for deep understanding and personal growth.

How AI becomes biased, visually explained 🐧

Year 2049 • 8 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Learning
  1. AI can show bias based on how it learns from the data given to it. If the data contains biases, the AI will likely reflect those biases in its decisions.
  2. Using simple examples, like a penguin metaphor, helps explain complex AI concepts. It's easier to understand difficult ideas with relatable stories.
  3. It's important to be aware of AI bias as it affects how AI technologies interact with people. Being educated about these biases can lead to better, fairer AI development.

How to use this newsletter to improve

Technology Made Simple • 19 implied HN points • 16 Mar 22
🕹 Technology Learning
  1. Learning from coding questions involves more than just solving them; it's crucial to learn from your mistakes.
  2. Take detailed notes as you attempt problems to provide valuable feedback to track your progress.
  3. Reviewing solutions, comparing them to your own approach, and noting differences can help improve your problem-solving skills.

Learning by the Blade or From the Chalice

peoplefirstengineering • 8 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Learning
  1. The blade symbolizes a competitive approach, focusing on being right and confronting others, while the chalice represents a more nurturing mindset, promoting cooperation and openness to new ideas.
  2. When learning or in conversations, using the chalice helps foster better relationships and deeper understanding, encouraging curiosity instead of defensiveness.
  3. It's important to choose the right approach for the situation; sometimes decisiveness is needed (the blade), but other times, open exploration is key (the chalice) for effective teamwork and learning.

Talk to Smart People (And Read)

Rounding the Earth Newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Engaging in discussions with knowledgeable people can enhance understanding and promote learning. It's beneficial to connect with those who are willing to explore and challenge ideas.
  2. Organized note-taking is a useful habit that aids in retaining and processing information over time. Visual aids like graphs can make complex ideas easier to understand.
  3. Taking the time to read and research independently is important for developing one’s own understanding. Personal exploration may lead to a deeper grasp of topics than simply consuming others' interpretations.

There's a forest in the trees?

Tribal Knowledge • 19 implied HN points • 02 May 22
💼 Business Learning
  1. Having a high attention to detail can be both an asset and a weakness, allowing you to see the little things but potentially missing the big picture.
  2. Managing context switching can be tough, especially in roles where you need to be involved in different subjects concurrently.
  3. Taking notes and reducing the number of priorities can help in combating context switching and cognitive overload.

Empowering Learning: Peter Ullrich's Journey from Psychology to Indie Courses

Elixir & Erlang • 1 HN point • 02 May 24
🎙 Podcasts Learning
  1. Peter Ullrich transitioned from psychology to software engineering by pursuing education in both fields, showcasing the value of diverse skill sets in a career journey.
  2. Discovering Elixir during his first job was pivotal in shaping Peter Ullrich's career path, highlighting the impact of encountering new technologies in one's professional life.
  3. The creation of Indie Courses by Peter Ullrich underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to industry trends for professional growth, showing the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation.

the education system is fraudulent

Midnight Musings • 19 implied HN points • 31 May 22
🚌 Education Learning
  1. The education system focuses too much on grades and test scores, which can harm creativity and genuine learning. Students often end up learning how to game the system instead of being curious.
  2. Learning is too structured and doesn't allow for exploration. This can lead to people thinking in ways others define, rather than developing their own unique problem-solving skills.
  3. Students are taught to measure their worth by their output and how others view them. This can create unhealthy competition and pressure, leading to a lack of fulfillment.

Representing integers as a sum

Infinitely More • 7 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Every positive integer can be split into a sum in a specific number of ways. For any integer n, there are exactly 2^(n-1) ways to do this.
  2. To figure out how to split an integer, you can visualize it as a series of ones with spaces in between. Each space can either have a plus sign or not, giving rise to different sums.
  3. A common mistake in math is the 'fence-post error,' where people confuse the number of items with the number of spaces between them, leading to miscounts in things like days or numbers.

TWH#49: The Metrics of Fear

The Hagakure • 26 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
💼 Business Learning
  1. Trust is crucial in organizations, and lack of trust leads to reduced collaboration and worse results.
  2. Many organizations get stuck in the cycle of doing the same things over and over, expecting different results.
  3. High work in progress (WIP) leads to negative effects like stress, burnout, and underperformance, and reducing WIP is crucial for better outcomes.

one idea, one week

Jyri And • 1 HN point • 29 Apr 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Writing one piece each week can help you think deeply about your topic without rushing. This way, you have time for ideas to develop and connect.
  2. Using an intense weekly writing schedule can mimic the tutorial system of schools like Oxford. It encourages self-discipline and in-depth learning.
  3. Even when you struggle with your writing during the week, taking notes and coming back to the topic can spark new insights and make everything click at the end.

How AI Will Change Education

Messy Progress • 11 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. AI is expected to revolutionize education by providing personalized tutoring, making learning more efficient and engaging.
  2. Current education systems may change with AI tools, enabling on-demand skill learning and reducing the need for extensive pre-existing education.
  3. AI has the potential to transform traditional job recruitment processes by offering virtual interviews, possibly reducing the reliance on college degrees as the primary filter.

100K context windows, Stable Animation SDK, Airtable AI, Google's massive AI updates, Transformers Agent and more

AI Brews • 17 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🕹 Technology Learning
  1. Anthropic's AI chatbot Claude can now handle 100K tokens and outperforms in complex question synthesis
  2. Stability AI released a Stable Animation SDK for creating animations from text or inputs like images or videos
  3. Airtable launched Airtable AI allowing users to utilize AI in workflows without coding, such as auto-categorizing feedback

The Antidebate: Experiments in the Art of Sensemaking for a World Gone Slightly Mad.

The Joyous Struggle • 1 HN point • 20 Feb 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. The antidebate focuses on speaking differently rather than arguing well to enhance meaningful communication by changing the setting, process, and permission.
  2. It is a conversational innovation recognizing varying power dynamics in conversations, embodying a collaborative and competitive inquiry.
  3. The antidebate emerged as a response to the lack of efficacy of traditional debate and aims to prefigure new ways of thinking, talking, and living together.

Lecture 06

Quantum Formalism • 19 implied HN points • 23 Oct 20
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Session 6 of the lecture series is now available on YouTube with a corrected slide on GitHub, focusing on advanced topics in quantum formalism.
  2. New participants are encouraged to have an advanced undergraduate level knowledge or should review previous sessions to follow the live sessions effectively.
  3. Those confident in their understanding can fill out a form to attend the next live session for the lecture series.

The golden oldies

Theory Matters • 7 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🚌 Education Learning
  1. It's important to study the foundational thinkers of political theory like Plato, Hobbes, and Locke, even if we don't always agree with them, as their ideas continue to shape contemporary debates about justice and freedom.
  2. Shortcuts in learning and work can lead to a lack of foundational knowledge and reduced quality in outcomes, affecting areas from education to construction.
  3. Putting in the hard work to learn the fundamentals is essential, even in a society where speed and quantity are often prioritized over quality, to avoid producing individuals who lack true understanding and depth of knowledge.

Always be learning and growing 🌱

PeopleStorming • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jun 20
🎙 Podcasts Learning
  1. Always find time for learning by incorporating podcasts into your daily routine like when you're in the shower, cooking, or in bed.
  2. Listen to podcasts that cater to your interests and needs to make the learning experience more valuable and enjoyable.
  3. Consider selecting newsletter topics that are relevant to you to receive content that aligns better with your preferences and requirements.

So you want to roll your own crypto?

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 19 implied HN points • 30 Aug 20
🔮 Crypto Learning
  1. Learn from other people's mistakes when rolling your own crypto to accelerate your understanding and skill development.
  2. Crypto code is complex due to side-channel constraints and subtle details that can easily compromise security if not understood.
  3. Understand the vast crypto food chain, from cryptanalysts solving mathematical problems to software engineers implementing encryption, to know where you stand and why rolling your own crypto may not be advisable.

Unleashing Creative Potential: Thinking Inside Another Box

Leadership Tales • 8 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
🚌 Education Learning
  1. Thinking inside another box involves exploring fresh ideas within defined boundaries by combining existing knowledge.
  2. Drawing inspiration from diverse industries can lead to innovative approaches in problem-solving and creativity.
  3. Encouraging analogue thinking through patterns can help individuals generate novel insights and breakthrough ideas.

Rabbit Holes #61 🎄

Creative Destruction • 5 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Learning
  1. The story of Santa Claus may have origins in rituals of the Sami people, including psychedelic mushrooms and shamanic healings.
  2. Rituals are powerful tools to regain agency in a world that feels out of control and can shape our lives and communities.
  3. Shift the focus from achieving goals to a culture of learning, as it offers long-lasting emotional and psychological benefits.