What are Naval's thoughts on "interdisciplinary learning"?
Here is the English translation in markdown format:
Naval's View on "Interdisciplinary Learning": Beyond Breadth to Fluency
Imagine you have a toolbox.
If it only contains a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. But if it holds hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliers, doesn’t your problem-solving ability multiply?
Naval sees interdisciplinary learning as assembling a super toolkit. True wisdom and wealth, he believes, often lie at the intersection of disciplines.
His core ideas break down as follows:
1. "Laying Foundations" Beats "Chasing Trends"
Naval emphasizes mastering foundational subjects—knowledge unchanged for centuries:
- Mathematics (especially probability, statistics)
- Physics (classical mechanics, thermodynamics)
- Economics (microeconomics, game theory)
- Philosophy/Logic
These form the "source code" of how the world operates. Grasping them illuminates applied fields like business, technology, and relationships.
Analogy: Learning only a trendy programming framework is like chasing trends. But mastering computer architecture and data structures (foundations) lets you adapt to any new framework—or create your own.
2. Build Your "Mental Models Toolkit"
(This core idea draws inspiration from Charlie Munger.)
- Mental Models: Cross-disciplinary thinking tools that simplify complex realities.
Naval advises harvesting powerful mental models from foundational subjects into your "brain toolbox":
- Examples:
- Physics' "leverage" → Achieve maximum impact with minimal effort in business/life.
- Biology's "evolution" → Understand market adaptation and product iteration.
- Economics' "supply and demand" → Assess value and scarcity.
- Mathematics' "compound interest" → Grasp the snowball effect in knowledge, health, and wealth.
When analyzing problems through multiple lenses (physics, economics, biology), your decisions improve.
3. Follow Curiosity, Not Curriculums
Naval advocates "reading-driven learning"—not enrolling in disjointed courses:
- Method: "Read what you love until you love to read."
- Start with genuine curiosity (e.g., "bitcoin"), which naturally leads to:
- Cryptography (computer science)
- Game Theory (economics)
- Monetary History (history)
- Distributed Systems (computer science)
- Human Psychology
Following your curiosity weaves knowledge across disciplines organically, boosting retention and coherence.
4. Ultimate Goal: Build "Specific Knowledge"
This is interdisciplinary learning’s payoff.
- Specific Knowledge: Uniquely yours—forged at discipline intersections through passion and experience. It’s a "craft" resistant to outsourcing.
Example:
A generic programmer is replaceable.
A programmer skilled in code, psychology, and game design creates addictive user experiences. This combo is specific knowledge—their competitive edge.
Interdisciplinary learning crafts your unique "combo move."
In Summary:
For Naval, interdisciplinary learning isn’t about becoming a jack-of-all-trades. It’s about mastering foundational mental models and following innate curiosity to forge impossible-to-replicate skills (specific knowledge) at the crossroads of disciplines—the path to wisdom and wealth.