I am interested in knowing whether there is a scientific proof to know when one stops learning. Can I still learn something technical at age 100 for instance?
Dear Alfred, a really interesting philosophical question. About 20 years ago I was visiting Oxford University (UK) and bought a postcard. It said:
“The more you study – the more you know.
The more you know – the more you forget.
So why study?”
Later I developed a simple mathematical model behind those statements and used it several times in my class. Let K(t) denotes the stock of knowledge at time t, while S(T) is intensity of study at this moment. Then the following differential equation (you may start derivation also with differences) describes the evolution of knowledge stock K(t):
dK(t)/dt= - cK(t) +L(t). (1)
Here c is depreciation coefficient of knowledge stock due to forgetting. The equation (1) has a steady state: L=cK. This is intensity of learning just to compensate what you forget. Like a training sportsman, a student must always learn (maybe at low level) just to maintain his knowledge stock.
About 100 years old – this depends on man and profession. A professor would probably do it (at least at low level) just to avoid understanding that he is less clever than 1 year ago. Most of people can probably allow K to decline at such age.
It may also happen that in older age parameter c grows. People forget quicker, and learn slower. This may be another reason to stop the fight.
I do not know. I wish people never stop learning, irrespective of their age.
Regards
Even when a lot can be learnt from the experience of others, a person learns more from his own experience and every moment is moment of having a new experience. This shows that even when a person has no desire to learn, his new experience does not let him stop learning. Hence no person can stop learning.
I believe that it entirely depends on your environment. Sometimes, when you work continuously in a same environment, you stop learning, as you have achieved some sort of saturation in your learning. So I would say that learning has nothing to do with age but it enhances with diversification in your environment.
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