Are We Resistant To Learning?

Could humans be hardwired to be resistant to learn what goes against their ideas of the world? Scientists believe that it might be yes. Andrew Shtulman discusses how our concept of learning can actually go against our natural assumptions of everything around us, and how in order to accept what is true, we must suppress this instinct.

This is in relation to the recent poll about creationism vs. evolution, a debate that despite overwhelming scientific evidence, is still continuing. Shtulman attributes this to data collected on how we assign truth to certain statements depending on their believability. Why some refuse to believe science. His example is how the law of gravity holds that two objects will fall at the same speed regardless of size or weight. If you are shown two separate videos, one where the heavier item is falling faster, it appears to be more natural and we must actively chose the correct answer. We are constantly pushing down our intuitive notions in order to learn new things. This might show how ignorance is merely a lack of this suppression, rather than an inability to learn or want to learn. Too bad in a nation of medication there isn’t a pill to help this process along.