Learning

"At birth, a baby is not a person, but a potential person. In order to become a "real" person, the child's inherent potential must be realized. Unhappiness and frustration are caused by the unrealized potential of a person, leading to failed goals and a poor life."Aristotle.

We learn through trial and error.

When we are young there is little that causes us to make one choice over another, we haven't had any experiences. As we age we randomly make choices, some make us feel good, others bad.

The choices which have positive repercussions make us more prevalent to make the same choice again with the opposite occurring for those with negative repercussions.

Imagine your mind as a highway, many roads all linking different locations. When you want to get to a particular location you drive down a motor-way. Sometimes you try alternative routes some of which get you to your destination quicker. So subsequent times you wish to make the same journey you take better, and better routes. The difference in this example is we are using the journey duration as the choice determinate – but with people it is whether it feels good or not, the nature of the brain is every journey is pretty quick.

Obviously we become accustomed to making particular choices long after the "feel good" quotient no longer exists. But our development as we age slowly refines our ability to intellectually fit into our society.