Why does rote memorization of knowledge conflict with first principles learning?

Let's put it this way: it's like the difference between "memorizing recipes" and "understanding cooking."

Memorizing knowledge is like memorizing recipes. You might know the recipe for "Braised Pork Belly" by heart: how many pounds of pork belly, how many star anises, how many spoons of soy sauce, how much rock sugar, what to add first and what next... As long as you strictly follow the recipe, you can make a decent braised pork belly. In most cases, this is efficient and quickly solves the problem of "making a braised pork belly."

Learning by first principles is like understanding the underlying logic of cooking. You don't just memorize a specific recipe; instead, you understand:

• Why blanch the meat first? (To remove gamey odors and blood)
• Why caramelize sugar? (To give the meat an appealing color and a caramel flavor)
• What are the roles of soy sauce, cooking wine, and spices? (Soy sauce for color and savory taste, cooking wine for removing odors and enhancing aroma)
• What is the significance of simmering over low heat? (To fully break down fat and collagen, resulting in a tender texture and allowing flavors to penetrate)

So, where's the conflict?

The conflict lies in this: when you get used to directly recalling "recipes" from your mind, you become too lazy to think about "why."

Our brains are inherently lazy and prefer shortcuts. Memorized knowledge is a ready-made, paved shortcut. When faced with a problem, the brain's first reaction is to search, "Have I memorized a standard answer for this problem?" If it finds one, it will directly use that answer, and then thinking stops.

For example, imagine you only know how to make braised pork belly by following a recipe. Suddenly, one day, you run out of rock sugar. What do you do?

• Someone who only memorizes recipes might be stumped, because the recipe explicitly calls for "rock sugar," and without it, that path is blocked.
• Someone who understands cooking principles would think: the purpose of rock sugar is to provide "sweetness" and "color." Can I use white sugar instead? Yes, but I'd need to be more careful with the heat when caramelizing it. Can I use honey? Also yes, but the flavor profile might change slightly. They can start from the essence of the problem (providing sweetness) and find many solutions.

Therefore, the core conflict between the two is:

Memorizing knowledge encourages us to find and replicate a ready-made, correct "external answer," while first principles demand that we break down all existing answers, return to the most fundamental elements and logic of things, and derive an "internal answer" ourselves.

One waits at the finish line for the result, while the other starts from the beginning and walks the path themselves. When your mind is filled with various "standard answers" (recipes), you lose the motivation and ability to start from scratch, because using a direct answer is simply too easy and tempting. Over time, your thinking becomes rigid, only able to handle situations you've "memorized," and once you encounter a new problem, you'll be at a loss.