Similarities and Differences in Learning and Thinking(No.1816-1, 10/10/2026)

Similarities and Differences in Learning and Thinking (No.1816-1, 10/10/2026) Gerald C. Hsu EclaireMD Foundation Category: Self-Reflection and Intellectual Development ──────── A Special Note Due to my poor eyesight caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), my writing may contain occasional typos or minor mistakes. Please forgive these imperfections. ──────── Preface My 26 years of independent self-study of psychology and human pathophysiology have followed a rather unusual learning journey. Since I know little about the private learning experiences of ordinary individuals, I chose to examine the documented lives of eleven well-known historical figures. This article explores similarities and differences in personality, educational backgrounds, learning styles, thinking processes, and lifelong intellectual curiosity between these individuals and myself. My purpose is not to compare personal achievements or intellectual abilities, but simply to understand how individuals with different backgrounds acquire knowledge, approach problems, and pursue independent learning. Through these comparisons, I hope to better understand my own intellectual development and reflect on the importance of curiosity, persistence, and self-directed education throughout life. ──────── Introduction Out of personal curiosity, I recently reflected on the similarities and differences in self-directed learning, educational backgrounds, and intellectual habits between myself and eleven well-known historical figures: Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday, Benjamin Franklin, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, Richard Feynman, and Marie Curie. My intention is not to compare personal achievements, intelligence, or historical importance. I am simply interested in how different people learn, think, study, observe, and solve problems. Although our backgrounds and interests differ, I recognize certain similarities in our approaches to acquiring and applying knowledge. ──────── 1. Abraham Lincoln: Self-Education and Persistence Abraham Lincoln received limited formal schooling. He developed much of his knowledge through independent reading and self-study, including his study of law. I share a similar commitment to independent learning. In 2001, at age 54, I began independently studying psychology and personality disorders by reading more than 300 printed books. I also gained practical experience by sponsoring a charitable psychological care program serving 250 abandoned children, abused women, and teenage girls. In 2010, at age 63, I began independently studying medicine and human health. Over the following 17 years, I read more than 10,000 published medical research papers without attending medical school or receiving formal instruction from medical professors or colleagues. Unlike practicing physicians, I had no patients to care for or learn from. My medical knowledge came primarily from scientific literature, independent reasoning, and continuous observation and analysis of more than five million pathophysiological data points collected from my own body. I have devoted more than 80,000 hours to this independent learning process, equivalent to roughly four times the educational hours typically associated with formal medical training. The difference lies in educational preparation. Lincoln had limited formal schooling, whereas I had completed 18 years of on campus post-graduate education across 10 academic disciplines, including mathematics, physics, various engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, and business. Nevertheless, both approaches demonstrate how sustained personal effort can support learning outside formal educational institutions. ──────── 2. Isaac Newton: Introversion and Concentrated Thinking Among these historical figures, I feel a particularly strong connection with Isaac Newton’s personality and intellectual habits. Newton was known for his preference for solitude and intense concentration on mathematical and physical problems. I am also introverted. I do not particularly enjoy social activities or frequent communication with other people. I prefer reading, studying, analyzing, and thinking independently. Both Newton and I received rigorous university education. Newton studied at Cambridge University, while I studied at 6 universities, and MIT where Professor Norman Jones taught me engineering mechanics and Professor Patrick Winston taught me artificial intelligence and pattern recognition. Our differences concern the direction of our investigations. Newton examined fundamental mathematical and physical principles. I apply mathematics, physics, and engineering principles learned from Newton’s work and from professors Norman Jones at MIT and James Andrews at the University of Iowa to investigate human pathophysiology and biomechanics.