<p>Hi. </p>
<p>I am, in college, but I was just wondering what you think about the following question. I think the cafe is the most appropriate place to ask it:</p>
<p>Is it possible to teach yourself, say, a subject like college level Organic Chemistry, Calculus, Differential equations, genetics, etc?</p>
<p>I mean, can’t you just buy a book, and then see lectures on MIT open course or something?</p>
<p>What is the purpose of a college course then? Is a college course much better to learn a subject? I guess they have labs in a college course, but as for the non-lab material, can’t you just learn it by yourself? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Anyone have any thoughts?</p>
<p>I agree with you that where you need to get hands-on experience with materials or tools you can’t obtain yourself you’ll need to find someone who can provide them, and that colleges do that sort of thing on a regular basis.</p>
<p>But for most things, absolutely. Grad students and professors do this all the time, when they’re starting out in a new area of inquiry. So do some homeschoolers. And between those two groups you could almost certainly find some people working on simpler material than you’re talking about and other people working on harder material than you’re talking about. I’m sure there are people who really need time when they can ask questions of someone who knows more than they do rather than finding the answers themselves, but not everyone does.</p>
<p>There are 2 main downsides that I think are relevant. First, you may not be as disciplined as you need to be. And second (google “dunning kruger effect”), it’s hard to accurately evaluate how much you know if you’re doing anything other than memorizing trivia. I have trouble with the first on a regular basis. I don’t know how much trouble I have with the second, which is exactly why it’s a problem.</p>
<p>Do you like science fiction? Isaac Asimov’s short story “Profession,” which can be found in the anthology “Nine Tomorrows,” might interest you.</p>
<p>nontraditional</p>
<p>Thank you for your thoughts and information. I have also looked up the dunning kruger effect. i did not know about that till you told me. </p>
<p>Thank you once again.</p>