alt Hacker News> I probably used an LLM to learn a dozen different new things, just today.
Did you learn 12 new things or did you find out about 12 new things? Or did you use it as a component in the learning process?
Everyone probably has a different interpretation of what it means to learn, or how to go about doing it effectively, but my hot take might be that there's not much learning going on if there's not much understanding going on, and understanding rarely comes quickly or without practice, and by extension, most reading or watching doesn't constitute learning unless it's a multifaceted activity of exploration and practice.
The ability to produce information that adds clarity to subject matter certainly can aid in learning and finding out what to learn or where to look further, but I can't learn guitar by reading about how to play guitar, nor can I learn German by exclusively listening to podcasts, and I think this us true for many things.
> use it as a component in the learning process
That one. I gotta know what I want, and what questions to ask. I’ve been self-directing learning my whole life, and have gotten good at consulting references.
I often know an answer, but maybe not the correct answer, so I simply ask the Delphic Oracle.
I will ask it something like “Here’s how I would do it. Does this look correct? What alternatives are available?”.