The Improvement of The Mind – 16 General Rules For the Improvement of Knowledge

In his wonderful new book “Mastery“  Robert Green tells the story of Michael Faraday (22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) who was an accomplished English scientist. But like most of us he lacked direction in life.

Michael Faraday was born in Surrey, England. His family was poor. His father, James, was a blacksmith. James Faraday had come to London in the 1780′s from North-West England.
The young Michael Faraday was one of four children and only had the most basic school education. He had to teach himself to read and write. At fourteen he went to learn how to be a bookbinder and bookseller from a man called George Riebau.
During his seven-year study of making books with Riebau, he read Isaac Watts The Improvement Of The Mind. Faraday used this book as a template on which to build his life and eventually his scientific philosophy/method.
Issac Watts although very religious (as you will see) was from a family of dissenting academics and nonconformists who could not in good conscience subscribe to the articles of the Church of England.  He  was an English hymnwriter, theologian and logician.
His book is what I would call an ancient ‘self help book.’  It is proof that before there was a  4 Hour Workweek (and many others) self help was simply classified as “philosophy”. There are two chapters from the book “improvement of the mind” I will touch on. This is the first.
If you have opened the 4-Hour Chef and are into Meta Learning, this is part of the rabbit whole.  How we learn, how we “improve our knowledge” has been explored for years. Let’s take some time to look back in the past and see how those before us wen’t about the task:
P.S: Don’t be thrown by the religious context of the text.. Remember the time and try to see how it could fit into your own life or philosophy. 

The Improvement of The Mind by Watts, Isaac, 1674-1748.

“Though the most of these following Rules are chiefly addressed  to those whom their fortune or their station require to addict  themselves to the peculiar improvement of their minds in greater  degrees of knowledge, yet every one who has leisure and opportunity to be acquainted with such writings as these, may find something  among them for their own use.”

It is vain for any to say, we have no leisure or time for it. The daily intervals of time, and vacancies from necessary labor  together with the one day in seven, allows sufficient time for this, if men would but apply themselves to it with half so much zeal and diligence as they do to the trifles and amusements of this life, and it would turn to infinitely better account.

16 General Rules For the Improvement of Knowledge:

Rule 1 (I.) 

DEEPLY possess your mind with the vast importance of a good judgment, and the rich and inestimable advantage of right reasoning.

Review the instances of your own misconduct in life ; think seriously with yourselves how many follies and sorrows you had escaped, and how much guilt and misery you had prevented, if from your early years you had but taken due paius to judge aright concerning persons, times, and things. This will awaken you with lively vigor to address yourselves to the work of improving your reasoning powers, and seizing very opportunity and advantage for that end.
Questions:

• Of what should the mind be deeply possessed ?
• What should we review, and think upon seriously ?
• To what exertions will this awaken us ?

Rule 2 (II.)  

Consider the weaknesses, frailties, and mistakes of human nature in general, which arise from the very constitution of a soul united to an animal body, and subjected to many inconveniences thereby.

Consider the many additional weaknesses, mistakes, and frailties, which are derived from our original apostasy and fall from a state of innocence; how much our powers of understanding are yet more darkened, enfeebled, and imposed upon by our senses, our fancies, and our unruly passions? Consider the depth and difficulty of many truths, and the flattering appearances of falsehood, whence arises an infinite variety of dangers to which we are exposed in our judgment of things.
Read with greediness those authors that treat of the doctrine of prejudices, prepossessions, and springs of error, on purpose to make your soul watchful on all sides, that it suffer itself, as far as possible, to be imposed upon by none of them.
Questions:

• What are the considerations which expose us to error in our judgments of things ?
• What are the subjects discussed by different authors, to which we should carefully attend ?

Rule 3 (III.) 

A slight view of things so momentous is not sufficient. You should therefore contrive and practice some proper methods to acquaint yourself with your own ignorance, and to impress your mind with a deep and painful sense of the low and imperfect degrees of your present knowledge, that you may be incited with labor and activity to pursue after greater measures.

Among others, you may find some such methods as these successful.

1. Take a wide survey now and then of the vast and unlimited regions of learning. Let your meditations run over the names of all the sciences, with their numerous branching’s, and innumerable particular themes of knowledge; and then reflect how few of them you are acquainted with in any tolerable degree. The most teamed of mortals will never find occasion to act over again what is fabled of Alexander the Great, that when he had conquered what was called the eastern world, he wept for want of more worlds to conquer. The worlds of science are immense and endless.
2. Think what a numberless variety of questions and difficulties there are belonging even to that particular science in which you have made the greatest progress, and how few of them there are in which you have arrived at a final and undoubted certainty; excepting only those questions in the pure and simple mathematics, whose theorems are demonstrable, and leave scarce any doubt; and yet, even in the pursuit of some few of these, mankind have been strangely bewildered.
3. Spend a few thoughts sometimes on the puzzling enquiries concerning vacuums and atoms, the doctrine of infinities, indivisibles, and incommensurables in geometry, wherein there appear some insolvable difficulties: do this on purpose to give you a more sensible impression of the poverty of your understanding, and the imperfection of your knowledge. This will teach you what a vain thing it is to fancy that you know all things, and will instruct you to think modestly of your present attainments, when every dust of the earth, and every inch of empty space, surmounts your understanding, and triumphs over your presumption. Arithmo had been bred up to accounts all his life, and thought himself a complete master of numbers. But when he was pushed hard to give the square root of the number 2, he tried at it, and labored long in millesimal fractions, till he confessed there was no end of the enquiry; and yet he learned so much modesty by this perplexing question, that he was afraid to say it was an impossible thing. It is some good degree of improvement, when we are afraid to be positive.
4. Read the accounts of those vast treasures of knowledge which some of the dead have possessed, and some of the living do possess. Read and be astonished at the almost incredible advances which have been made in science. Acquaint yourself with some persons of great learning, that by converse among them, and comparing yourself with them, you may acquire a mean opinion of your own attainments, and may thereby be animated with new zeal, to equal them as far as possible, or to exceed: thus let your diligence be quickened by a generous and laudable emulation. If Vanillus had never met with Scitorio and Palydes, he had never imagined himself a mere novice in philosophy, nor ever set himself to study in good earnest.

Remember this, that if upon some few superficial acquirements you value, exalt, and swell yourself, as though you were a man of learning already, you are thereby building a most impassable barrier against all improvement; you will lie down and indulge idleness, and rest yourself contented in the midst of deep and shameful ignorance.
Questions:

• What will incite to labor and activity in the pursuit of knowledge ?
• Of what should we take a wide survey ?
• On what should we meditate ?
• What is fabled of Alexander the Great ?
• What are the worlds that cannot be conquered ?
• What are the questions and difficulties on which we should think ?
• On what inquiries should we spend a few thoughts ?
• For what reasons should we do this ?
• By what means did Arithmo learn modesty ?
• What is an evidence of improvement?
• What should we read, and with whom should we be acquainted ?
• What effect should this produce ?
• What will be a barrier against all improvement ?

Rule 4 (IV.) 

Presume not too much upon a bright genius, a ready wit, and good parts; for this, without labor and study, will never make a man of knowledge and wisdom.

This has been an unhappy temptation to persons of a vigorous and gay fancy, to despise learning and study. They have been acknowledged to shine in an assembly, and sparkle in a discourse on common topics, and thence they took it into their heads to abandon reading and labor, and grow old in ignorance; but when they had lost their vivacity of animal nature and youth, they became stupid even to contempt and ridicule. Lucidas and Scintillo are young men of this stamp; they shine in conversation; they spread their native riches before the ignorant; they pride themselves in their own lively images of fancy, and imagine themselves wise and learned; but they had best avoid the presence of the skillful, and the test of reasoning; and I would advise them once a day to think forward a little, what a contemptible figure they will make in age.
The witty men sometimes have sense enough to know their own foible; and therefore they craftily shun the attacks of argument, or boldly pretend to despise and renounce them, because they are conscious of their own ignorance, and inwardly confess their want of acquaintance with the skill of reasoning.
Questions:

• What has proved a temptation to persons of a vigorous fancy ?
• What is related of Lucidas and Scinfillo ?
• Whose presence and what test should such persons avoid ?

Rule 5 (V.)

As you are not to fancy yourself a learned man because you are blessed with a ready wit; so neither must you imagine that large and laborious reading, and a strong memory, can denominate you truly wise.

What that excellent critic has determined when he decided the question, whether wit or study makes the best poet, may well be applied to every sort of learning:

“Concerning poets there has been contest,  Whether they’re made by art, or nature best;  But if I may presume in this affair,  Among the rest my judgment to declare,  No art without a genius will avail, And parts without the help of art will fail:  But both ingredients jointly must unite, Or verse will never shine with a transcendent light.” – Oldham.

It is meditation and studious thought, it is the exercise of your own reason and judgment upon all you read, that gives good sense even to the best genius, and affords your understanding the truest improvement. A boy of a strong memory may repeat a whole book of Euclid, yet be no geometrician; for he may not be able perhaps to demonstrate one single theorem. Memorino has learnt half the Bible by heart, and is become a living concordance, and a speaking index to theological folios, and yet he understands little of divinity.
A well furnished library, and a capacious memory, are indeed of singular use toward the improvement of the mind; but if all your learning be nothing else but a mere amassment of what others have written, without a due penetration into the meaning, and without a judicious choice and determination of your own sentiments, I do not see what title your head has to true learning above your shelves. Though you have read philosophy and theology, morals and metaphysics in abundance, and every other art and science, yet if your memory is the only faculty employed, with the neglect of your reasoning powers, you can justly claim no higher character but that of a good historian of the sciences.
Here note, many of the foregoing advice are more peculiarly proper for those who are conceited of their abilities, and are ready to entertain a high opinion of themselves. But a modest, humble youth, of a good genius, should not suffer himself to be discouraged by any of these considerations. They are designed only as a spur to diligence, and a guard against vanity and pride.
Questions:

• Can laborious reading and a strong memory insure true wisdom ?
• What may be applied to every sort of learning ?
• How may the understanding be best improved ?
• How may we justly obtain the reputation of true learning ?
• For whom are many of the preceding advices peculiarly proper ?

Rule 6 (VI.)  

Be not so weak as to imagine, that a life of learning is a life of laziness and ease; dare not give up yourself to any of the learned professions, unless yon are resolved to labor hard at study, and can make it your delight, and the joy of your life.

According to the motto of our late Lord Chancellor King: —    Labour ipse voluptas. It is no idle thing to be a scholar indeed. A man much addicted to luxury and pleasure, recreation and pastime, should never pretend to devote himself entirely to the sciences, unless his soul be so reformed and refined, that he can taste all these entertainments eminently in his closet, among his books and papers. Sobrino is a temperate man, and a philosopher, and be feeds upon partridge and pheasant, venison and ragouts and every delicacy, in a growing understanding, and a serene and healthy soul, though he dines on a dish of sprouts or turnips. Languinos loved his ease, and therefore chose to be brought up a scholar; he had much indolence in his temper; and as he never cared for study, he falls under universal contempt in his profession, because he has nothing but the gown and the name.
Questions:

• Who are the persons unfitted for devotedness to the sciences ?
• What are the dispositions that will bring contempt on a profession ?

Rule 7 (VII.)

Let the hope of new discoveries, as well as the satisfaction and pleasure of known trains, animate your daily industry. Do not think learning in general is arrived at its perfection, or that the knowledge of any particular subject in any science cannot be improved, merely because it has lain five hundred or a thousand years without improvement.

The present age, by the blessing of God on the ingenuity and diligence of men, has brought to light such truths in natural philosophy, and such discoveries in the heavens and the earth, as seemed to be beyond the reach of man. But may there not be Sir Isaac Newton’s in every science? You should never despair therefore of finding out that which has never yet been found, unless you see something in the nature of it which renders it unsearchable, and above the reach of our faculties.
Nor should a student in divinity imagine that our age is arrived at a full understanding of every thing which can be known by the Scriptures. Every age since the Reformation hath thrown some further light on difficult texts and paragraphs of the Bible, which have been long obscured by the early rise of Antichrist: and since there are at present many difficulties and darkness hanging about certain truths of Christian religion, and since several of these relate to important doctrines, such as the origin of sin, the fall of Adam, the person of Christ, the blessed Trinity, and the decrees of God. which do still embarrass the minds of honest and inquiring readers, and which make work for noisy controversy; it is certain there are several things in the Bible yet unknown, and not sufficiently explained  ; and it is certain that there is some way to solve these difficulties, and to reconcile these seeming contradictions.
And why may not a sincere searcher of truth in the present age, by labor  diligence, study and prayer, with the best use of his reasoning powers, find out the proper solution of those knots and perplexities which have hitherto been unsolved, and which have afforded matter for angry quarreling? Happy is every man who shall be favored of Heaven, to give a helping hand towards the introduction of the blessed age of light and love.
Questions:

• What should animate our daily industry?
• What has the ingenuity of man brought to light ?
• What should a student in divinity not imagine ?
• What truths of the Christian religion still embarrass the minds of honest inquirers ?

Rule  8 (VIII.)

Do not hover always on the surface of things, nor take up suddenly with mere appearances; but penetrate into the depth of matters, as far as your time and circumstances allow, especially in those things which relate to your own profession.

Do not indulge yourselve to judge of things by the first glimpse, or a short and superficial view of them; for this will fill the mind with errors and prejudices, and give it a wrong turn and ill habit of thinking, and make much work for retractation. Subito is carried away with title pages, so that he ventures to pronounce upon a large octavo at once, and to recommend it wonderfully when he had read half the preface. Another volume of controversies, of equal size, was discarded by him at once, because it pretended to treat of the Trinity, and yet he could neither find the word essence nor subsistences in the twelve first pages; but Subito changes his opinions of men and books and things so often, that nobody regards him.
As for those sciences, or those parts of knowledge, which either your profession, your leisure, your inclination, or your incapacity, forbid you to pursue with much application, or to search far into them, you must be contented with an historical and superficial knowledge of them, and not pretend to form any judgments of your own on those subjects which you understand very imperfectly.
Questions:

• How may we attain the knowledge of things which relate to our own profession ?
• Who are the persons, whose opinions of men and books are disregarded ?
• On what subjects should we not pretend to form a * judgment ?

Rule 9. (IX.)

Once a day, especially in the early years of life and study, call yourselves to an account what new ideas, what new proposition or truth you hare gained, what further confirmation of known truths, and what advances you have made in any part of knowledge; and let no day, if possible, pass away without some intellectual gain: such a course, well pursued, must certainly advance us in useful knowledge.

It is a wise proverb among the learned, borrowed from the lips and practice of a celebrated painter:

“Nulla dies sine linea”,  ‘Let no day pass without one line at least:’

And it was a sacred rule among the Pythagoreans, That they should every evening thrice run over the actions and affairs of the day, and examine what their conduct had been, what they had done, or what they had neglected: and they assured their pupils, that by this method they would make a noble progress on the path of virtue.
Questions:

• In what particulars should we daily call ourselves to an account ?
• What was the rule considered sacred amongst the Pythagoreans ?

Rule 10. (X.)

Maintain a constant watch at all times against a dogmatical spirit; fix not your assent to any proposition in a firm and unalterable manner, till you have some firm and unalterable ground for it, and till you have arrived at some clear and sure evidence; till you have turned the proposition on all sides, and searched the matter through and through, so that you cannot be mistaken.

And even where you may think you have full grounds of assurance, be not too early, nor too frequent, in expressing this assurance in too peremptory and positive a manner, remembering that human nature is always liable to mistake in this corrupt and feeble state. A dogmatical spirit has man; inconveniences attending it as:

1. It stops the ear against all further reasoning upon that subject, and shuts up the mind from all farther improvements of knowledge. If you have resolutely fixed your opinion, though it be upon too slight and insufficient grounds, yet you will stand determined to renounce the strongest reason brought for the contrary opinion, and grow obstinate against the force of the clearest argument. Positive is a man of this character; and has often pronounced his assurance of the Cartesian vortexes: last year some further light broke in upon his understanding, with uncontrollable force, by reading something of mathematical philosophy; yet having asserted his former opinions in a most confident manner, be is tempted now to wink a little against the truth, or to prevaricate in his discourse upon that subject, lest by admitting conviction, he should expose himself to the necessity of confessing his former folly and mistake: and he has not humility enough for that.
2. A dogmatical spirit naturally leads us to arrogance of mind, and gives a man some airs in conversation which are too haughty and assuming. Audens is a man of learning, and very good company  ; but his infallible assurance renders his carriage sometimes insupportable.
3. A dogmatical spirit inclines a man to be censorious of his neighbors  Every one of his own opinions appears to him written as it were with sunbeams; and he grows angry that his neighbor does not see it in the same light. He is tempted to disdain his correspondents, as men of a low and dark understanding, because they will not believe what he does. Furio goes further in this wild track; and charges those who refuse his notions with willful obstinacy, and vile hypocrisy; he tells them boldly, that they resist the truth, and sin against their consciences.

These are the men that, when they deal in controversy, delight in reproaches. They abound in tossing about absurdity and stupidity among their brethren. They cast the imputation of heresy and nonsense plentifully upon their antagonists; and in matters of sacred importance, they deal out their anathemas in abundance upon Christians better than themselves; they denounce damnation upon their neighbors, without either justice or mercy; and when they pronounce sentences of divine wrath against supposed heretics, they add their own human fire and indignation. A dogmatist in religion is not a great way off from a bigot, and is in high danger of growing up to be a bloody persecutor.
Questions:

• By what means may we fix our opinions and form a correct judgment ?
• What are the inconveniences of a dogmatical spirit ?

Rule 11. (XI.)

Though caution and slow assent will guard you against frequent mistakes and retractions, yet you should get humility and courage enough to retract any mistake, and confess an error.

Frequent changes are tokens of levity in our first determinations; yet you should never be too proud to change your opinion, nor frighted at the name of a changeling. Learn to scorn those vulgar bugbears which confirm foolish man in his old mistakes, for fear of being charged with inconstancy. I confess it is better not to judge, than to judge falsely, and it is wiser to withhold our assent till we see complete evidence; but if we have too suddenly given our assent, as the wisest man does sometimes, if we have professed what we find afterwards to be false, we should never be ashamed nor afraid to renounce a mistake. That is a noble essay which is found among the occasional papers, to encourage the world to practise retractions ; and I would recommend it to the perusal of every scholar and every Christian. Questions:

• What is an evidence of humility united with courage ?
• Into what mistake may a wise man suddenly fall ?

Rule 12. (XII.)

He that would raise his judgment above the vulgar rank of mankind, and learn to pass a just sentence on persons and things, must take heed of a fanciful temper of mind, and a humorous conduct in his affairs. Fancy and humor, early and constantly indulged, may expect an old and overrun with follies.

The notion of a humorist is one that is greatly pleased, or greatly displeased with little things, who sets his heart much upon matters of very small importance; who has his will determined every day by trifles, his actions seldom directed by the reason and nature of things, and his passions frequently raised by things of little moment. Where this practice is allowed, it will insensibly warp the judgment to pronounce little things great, and tempt you to lay 3 great weight upon them- In short, this temper will incline you to pass an unjust value on almost every thing that occurs ; and every step you take in this path is just so far out of the way to wisdom.
Questions:

• How may fancy and humor distress us ?
• What is the description of a humorist ?

Rule 13.  (XIII.)

For the same reason have a care of trifling with things important and momentous, or of sporting with things awful and sacred do not indulge a spirit of ridicule, as some witty men do on all occasions and subjects.

This will as unhappily bias the judgment on the other side, and incline you to pass a low esteem en the most valuable objects. Whatsoever evil habit we indulge in practice, it will insensibly obtain a power over our understanding, and betray us into many errors. Jocander is ready with his jest to answer every thing that he hears; he reads books in the same jovial humour, and has gotten the art of turning every thought and sentence into merriment. How many awkward and irregular judgments does this man pass upon solemn subjects, even when he designs to be grave and in earnest ? His mirth and laughing humour is formed into habit and temper, and leads his understanding shamefully astray. You will see him wandering in pursuit of a gay flying feather, and he is drawn by a kind of “ignis fatuus” into bogs, and mire, almost every day of his life. Questions:

• What is the spirit and conduct calculated to lead us into error ?
• What are the consequences of jesting and foolish merriment ?

Rule 14.  (XIV.)

Ever maintain a virtuous and pious frame of spirit; for an indulgence of vicious inclinations debases the understanding and perverts the judgment.

Whoredom and wine, and new wine, take a-way the heart and soul, and reason of a man. Sensuality ruins the better faculties of the mind; an indulgence to appetite and passion enfeebles the powers of reason, it makes the judgment weak and susceptible of every falsehood, and especially of such mistakes as have a tendency towards the gratification of the animal ; and it warps the soul aside strangely from that steadfast honesty and integrity that necessarily belongs to the pursuit of truth. It is the virtuous man who is in a fair way to wisdom. ” God gives to those that are good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy.” Piety towards God, as well as sobriety and virtue, are necessary qualifications to make a truly wise and judicious man. He that abandons religion must act in such a contradiction to his own conscience and best  judgment, that he abuses and spoils the faculty itself. It is thus in the nature of things, and it is thus by the righteous judgment of God; even the pretended sages j among the heathens, who did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they were given up to a reprobate mind, an undistinguished or injudicious mind, so that they judged.
Questions:

• What is that indulgence which perverts the mind in pursuit of truth ?
• What will follow an abandonment of religion ? Who are the characters ?

Rule 15. (XV.)

Watch against the pride of your own reason, and a vain conceit of your own intellectual powers, with the neglect of divine aid and blessing.

Presume not upon great attainments in knowledge by you? own self-sufficiency ; those who trust to their own understandings entirely, are pronounced fools in the word of God; and it is the wisest of men gives them this character; ” he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.”
And the same divine writer advises us ” to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and not to lean to our own understandings, nor to be wise in cur own eyes.” Those who, with a neglect of religion, and dependence on God, apply themselves to search out every article in the things of God by the mere dint of their own reason, have been suffered to run into wild excesses of foolery, and strange extravagance of opinions.
Every one who pursues this vain course and will not ask for the conduct of God in the study of religion, has just reason to fear he shall be left of God, and given up a prey to a thousand prejudices; that he shall be consigned over to the follies of his own heart, and pursue his own temporal and eternal rum. And we should, by humility and dependence, engage the God of truth on our side.
Questions:

• Against what should we carefully watch ?
• What is the advice of Solomon ?
• What is the course which should lead us to fear the displeasure of God ?

Rule 16  (XVI.)

Offer up therefore your daily requests to God, the Father of lights, that he would bless all your attempts and labors in reading, study, and conversation.

Think with yourself, how easily and how insensibly, by one turn of thought, he can lead you into a large scene of useful ideas; he can teach you to lay hold on a clue which may guide your thoughts with, safety and ease through all the difficulties of an intricate subject. Think how easily the Author of your beings can direct your motions by his providence, so that the glance of an eye, or a word striking the ear, or a sudden turn of the fancy, shall conduct you to a train of happy sentiments. By his secret and supreme method of government, he can draw you to read such a treatise, or converse with such a person, who may give you more light into some deep subject in an hour, than you could obtain by a month of your own solitary labor.  Think with yourself, with how much ease the God of spirits can cast into your minds, some useful suggestion, and give a turn to your own thoughts, or the thoughts of those with whom you converse, whence you may derive unspeakable light and satisfaction! in a matter that has long puzzled and entangled you; he can show you a “faith which the vulture’s eye hath not seen’ 1 and lead you by some unknown gate or portal, out of a wilderness and labyrinth of difficulties> wherein you have been long wandering. Implore constantly his divine grace to point your inclination to proper studies, and to fix your heart there. He can. keep off temptations on the right hand, and on the left, both by the course of his providence, and by the secret and insensible intimations of his Spirit. He can guard your understandings from every evil influence and secure you from the danger of evil books and men, which might otherwise have a fatal effect and lead you into pernicious mistakes.