Chapter 1

  1. Focus on not what you think but how you think.
  2. Think like a Martian, as if you’re new to the earth. Let go of preconceived notions and beliefs.
  3. Symbols assignments are not knowledge.
  4. Work hard…take a rest…work hard again. Taking a rest is part of the process.
  5. Scientific thinking is about the structure of how you think, make observations, and gather data.
  6. Make a guess about a law and conduct an experiment; if the law agrees with nature, then it supports your hypothesis. DO NOT LET YOUR EXISTING BELIEF CLOUD YOUR JUDGMENT - take it is & data supports.

Chapter 2

  1. Motivation should be intrinsic instead of extrinsic—be genuinely curious. Be okay with asking questions and not knowing.
  2. Get comfortable asking questions.
  3. Keep a notebook of problems you would like to solve.
  4. Keep a topic list that you aren’t familiar with and would like to know about.
  5. Use a notebook and teach yourself as if you’re teaching a child.

Chapter 3

  1. YOU MUST NOT FULL YOURSELF, AND YOU’RE THE EASIEST PERSON TO FOOL.
  2. Be okay to be a beginner - avoid being an expert. Be okay to learn and let your ego not come in the way of learning opportunities.
  3. Start with nothing - build knowledge little by little.
  4. Ask why questions with the right tone and, at some point, accept the explanation & definitions.
  5. Don’t fool yourself if you get the answers that you desire. In fact, be skeptical if you get the answer you desire. Retest your answers.

Chapter 4

  1. Develop mental models: Mental models are scaled-down versions of reality.
  2. Develop more mental models and expose yourself to different ideas. Don’t be a man with a hammer—"a man with a hammer sees every problem as a nail."
  3. Use your brain as your primary instrument instead of worldview and conventional knowledge. Let your ego go.
  4. Science is a form of imagination that is represented by text, figures, graphs, etc.
  5. To learn better connect the unknown to the known.
  6. Use protege method to learn - Prepare to teach someone (or pretend)
  7. Use the IRADE method to teach
    • I - Introduce
    • R - Respond
    • A - Apply
    • D - Demonstrate
    • E - Examine

Chapter 5

  1. Teaching will increase your understanding. The better you get at teaching, the better your understanding of a subject.
  2. Identify a subject. Write down what you think about it, teach it to a child, expect questions, identify gaps in your knowledge, and fill them.