The document discusses how learning abstract concepts before details can help learn faster, as shown by DNA. It explains construal level theory, which ranks concepts from abstract to concrete on 5 dimensions: temporal, spatial, social, hypothetical, and informational. Learning higher-level abstract concepts first provides a framework to more easily understand detailed concrete concepts, just as DNA's 4 nucleobases combine to form complex organisms, and just as understanding a jigsaw puzzle's full picture first aids completing it.

1. 10/26/2020 What Genes Can Teach Us on How To Learn Faster | by John von Neumann II, Polymath | a Few Words | Oct, 2020 | Medium
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SUPERINTELLIGENCE
What Genes Can Teach Us on How To Learn
Faster
Less is more
John von Neumann II, Polymath
Oct 25 · 3 min read
By Thomas Shafee — Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56174807
here are 4 “primary nucleobases” in the genetic code of humans:

2. 10/26/2020 What Genes Can Teach Us on How To Learn Faster | by John von Neumann II, Polymath | a Few Words | Oct, 2020 | Medium
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1. Adenine (A)
2. Cytosine (C)
3. Guanine (G)
4. Thymine (T)
Yet out of just 4 basic elements, complex things like human beings are created.
So what can this teach us on how to learn faster?
That you should start learning the general and abstract concepts first before diving into
the details (and perhaps even create those details out of these abstract concepts).
According to construal level theory, there are 5 primary dimensions all on a continuum
going from concreteness (low-level construal) to abstraction (high-level construal):
1. Temporal (relating to time)
2. Spatial (relating to (physical) distance)
3. Social (e.g. your social network)
4. Hypothetical (relating to probability)
5. Informational (relating to your knowledge)
Let’s invent an example for each one of them.
Temporal
When learning things, try starting with things that will probably be valid for a long time
e.g. universal principles.
Spatial
Begin with learning things that are applicable over longer (physical) distances e.g.
concepts relevant throughout this whole world (rather than just your neighborhood) or
perhaps the entire universe itself.
Social
T

3. 10/26/2020 What Genes Can Teach Us on How To Learn Faster | by John von Neumann II, Polymath | a Few Words | Oct, 2020 | Medium
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In the field of psychology, try to first learn concepts and models that are applicable to
most humans before delving into the details of individuals themselves.
The biopsychosocial model is an example of one that I like a lot.
Hypothetical
The higher the probability of occurrence, the more valuable it could be to learn that
concept e.g. daily habits.
Informational
You usually tend to learn stuff faster where you already have a lot of relevant knowledge
about.
Another way to make effective use of this dimension, is by linking new knowledge with
the domains you know most about.
Tree Analogy
f we were to make an analogy between a tree and construal level theory, than the
trunk and the roots of the tree are the abstract and general concepts (high-level
construals).
As you get closer to the twigs, you get to the more concrete and detailed concepts (low-
level construals).
Again, cutting down the trunk has a much bigger impact than cutting down a couple
twigs.
Jigsaw Puzzle Analogy
earning high-level construals is like learning the general image of a jigsaw puzzle
while learning low-level construals is understanding the individual puzzle pieces
themselves.
If you already know how the finished jigsaw puzzle looks like, connecting the individual
puzzle pieces becomes a lot easier to do.
Gene Analogy
I
L

4. 10/26/2020 What Genes Can Teach Us on How To Learn Faster | by John von Neumann II, Polymath | a Few Words | Oct, 2020 | Medium
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hanging a couple genes produces a much bigger impact than changing a couple neurons
in your brain.
Alphabet Analogy
earning the 26 basic symbols of the alphabet enables one to create and understand
a gazillion words much more easily than if you started with learning these words
without knowing what the individual symbols represent.
Related article:
Spaced Repetition Items and Construal Level Theory
Why you should prioritize from higher- to lower-level construals
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