<p>I've been studying into the important of memory and learning. I think it's undeniable that part of learning is requiring the retrieval of information at the relevant times, but the counter argument I've heard is that understanding is more important, but I always pose the question "isn't understanding just a combination or applications of things you know? Since you know it that means you must have memorized it." To which people usually don't have a good counterargument or concede that it's plausible. I'd like to test my theory on the importance of memory in learning. I argue that all of learning is dependent upon memory in some form or another, therefore if someone wants to better their learning they need to better their ability to remember and retrieve relevant information in situations.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T14:03:02.903Z
What is the difference between memory and learning in the scenario you describe? By memory do you mean episodic memory of when a concept is experienced?
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T17:26:05.527Z
Episodic I’d say is part of it but I don’t know if pure episodic memory is sufficient for say academia. There also requires an ability to combine memorized things to realize a new concept and add to memory.
Gooby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-12T19:01:30.173Z
Then can you explain what you mean by "memory" versus "learning"? In neuroscience the two are often grouped together into "learning and memory" because there isn't really much distinction. Maybe you are trying to contrast memorization in terms of a list of facts with learning concepts? In that case I would use the term "memorization" exclusively, not "memory."
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-13T19:47:41.517Z
Yes I think that might be more accurate.
Gooby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T07:42:11.657Z
I think the crux of your question is whether learning facts "parrot fashion" alone is really learning, or do you also need to understand the facts?
Chris Rogers
<learning><memory><working-memory>
Importance of memory on learning?
Gooby
# Importance of memory on learning?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-11)

I've been studying into the important of memory and learning. I think it's undeniable that part of learning is requiring the retrieval of information at the relevant times, but the counter argument I've heard is that understanding is more important, but I always pose the question "isn't understanding just a combination or applications of things you know? Since you know it that means you must have memorized it." To which people usually don't have a good counterargument or concede that it's plausible. I'd like to test my theory on the importance of memory in learning. I argue that all of learning is dependent upon memory in some form or another, therefore if someone wants to better their learning they need to better their ability to remember and retrieve relevant information in situations.

**Tags:** learning, memory, working-memory

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What is the difference between memory and learning in the scenario you describe? By memory do you mean episodic memory of when a concept is experienced?  
> **username_0**: Episodic I’d say is part of it but I don’t know if pure episodic memory is sufficient for say academia. There also requires an ability to combine memorized things to realize a new concept and add to memory.  
> **username_1**: Then can you explain what you mean by "memory" versus "learning"? In neuroscience the two are often grouped together into "learning and memory" because there isn't really much distinction. Maybe you are trying to contrast memorization in terms of a list of facts with learning concepts? In that case I would use the term "memorization" exclusively, not "memory."  
> **username_0**: Yes I think that might be more accurate.  
> **username_2**: I think the crux of your question is whether learning facts "parrot fashion" alone is really learning, or do you also need to understand the facts?  

---

## 0 answers

