"Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
yann.lecun.com
"Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
1–10 of 26 posts
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#2Or you have your axis the wrong way round...
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#3What happens when you break "learning" down into specific tasks? Is the compound learning of lots of simple tasks accurately represented by the generic "learning" graphs for complex tasks?
Steep may not be the correct word. Complex may be better.
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#4I feel like the graph is a poor choice in illustrating this idea. As it's central to the argument, the rest of the article falls apart, in my eyes.
First - why do both graphs start the user with 0% performance? Humans come into a new program/context/etc with prior experience. Put a child who's used Word before in front of ed, and he'll probably do well. Put him in front of vim, and he'll probably struggle to write a sentence.
Second, not all performances are created equal. The dependent axis should probably be some measurable output. Typically, something with a "steep learning curve" takes longer to master, but has much greater payout in the end. (If it doesn't, people generally don't learn it.) Compare making TV Dinner with cooking a family meal. The TV dinner is easier to learn, easier to master, but having "100% performance" in making TV Dinners is still not on the level of being even a good cook.
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#5I feel like the graph is a poor choice in illustrating this idea. As it's central to the argument, the rest of the article falls apart, in my eyes. First - why do both graphs start the user with 0% performance? Humans come into a new program/context/etc with prior experience. Put a child who's used Word before in front of ed, and he'll probably do well. Put him in front of vim, and he'll probably struggle to write a…
"I feel like the graph is a poor choice in illustrating this idea. As it's central to the argument, the rest of the article falls apart, in my eyes."
What, in your eyes, does the word "curve" refer to then?
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#6In related news, scientists discover idioms not mathematically accurate. Movie at 11.
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#7I think steep learning curves are used in two contexts -
1. for example at your job - steep learning curve is good, it means learning / time is high.
2. for example programming languages - steep learning curve is (possibly) bad, it means learning or aptitude /effort is high - lots of effort to gain aptitude. Somewhat confused by the fact that the reason it's hard is possibly because the final achievement is more useful (but not necessarily - you can have hard-to-learn interfaces/processes, that are just badly designed, so you've only learned to jump silly hoops).
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#8The concept of a "steep curve" is the physical analogy to a steep hill, in which forward progress/learning requires significant effort. Thus x is progress and y is the cumulative effort required to achieve that level of progress.
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#9The real problem with this, apart from the inherent ambiguity of English, is that the axes are never defined so the graph can take any form you want. Steep (as in climbing) usually denotes effort or adversity - a point which may be missed by non-native speakers - hence the apparent contradiction when you add your own labels/axes and interpretation to the graph.
Re: "Steep Learning Curve" is an Erroneous Metaphor
#10I understand the objection, but like most idioms the intent is understood, and like most idioms I've always accepted this one for its intent.
However, you can make it work logically. Look at his graph and imagine the two curves as hills, both going to the same altitude. X is time, Y is altitude. You'd have to work much harder in a short time to get to the same altitude as the shallow hill.