Have you ever dreamt of understanding the vast expanse of human knowledge? The idea of being able to Learn Everything About Anything Any Subject might seem like an ambitious, even impossible goal. For many, including myself, the pursuit of a basic understanding across major intellectual areas—from the intricacies of physics to the depths of philosophy, the narratives of history, and beyond—is a deeply personal and enriching endeavor. This article explores the motivations behind this quest for universal knowledge, examines its feasibility, and shares insights into making meaningful progress on this exciting journey of lifelong learning.
The Allure of Universal Knowledge: Why Learn Everything About Anything?
It’s worth acknowledging upfront: aiming to learn everything about anything any subject isn’t necessarily the most pragmatic path to professional success. In a world that often rewards specialization, deep expertise in a narrow field—be it programming, accounting, or surgery—typically holds greater monetary value. Becoming the best in a specific domain often trumps possessing a broad but shallow understanding across many.
This holds true even when considering fields that might seemingly benefit from breadth. The concept of the “polymath,” often romanticized, can be overrated in terms of sheer productivity. Many celebrated polymaths throughout history, like Leonardo da Vinci, were more specialized than commonly perceived. Da Vinci’s genius, while spanning various disciplines, largely centered around design and painting.
My own career as a writer and, to some extent, a public autodidact (sort-of public autodidact), presents a somewhat unique case. Breadth of knowledge is genuinely beneficial in my line of work, allowing me to connect diverse ideas and perspectives in my writing. This career path, in a way, has been designed to align with my broader intellectual interests. However, had I pursued a career in academia or a specific industry, specialization would likely have been the more conventional and perhaps necessary route.
Even for someone who benefits from broad knowledge, diminishing returns eventually set in. For my writing, deepening my understanding of psychology or history is arguably more valuable than delving into chemistry, simply because the former are more likely to directly inform my work. Yet, chemistry, like many other subjects, holds its own intrinsic fascination, fueling the desire to learn for the sake of knowing.
Therefore, the primary motivation behind striving to learn everything about anything any subject is fundamentally intrinsic. It stems from a deep-seated curiosity and the profound realization that the world is an incredibly interesting place. It’s about personal enrichment, intellectual exploration, and a desire to connect with the vast tapestry of human understanding.
Defining “Everything”: Navigating the Landscape of Subjects
One of the first hurdles in the quest to learn everything about anything any subject is defining what constitutes a “subject” in the first place.
A simplistic approach might be to list all undergraduate departments in a typical university. However, this approach is flawed for several reasons.
Consider languages. Universities often have departments dedicated to language families. Would learning every subject necessitate mastering all major world languages? If so, a vast field like linguistics would overshadow a major topic like physics, creating a skewed representation of intellectual disciplines.
Another issue is the assumption that “having its own university department” equates to “importance.” Some academic departments focus on more universally applicable insights than others. While directly comparing the inherent value of different fields can be subjective and potentially contentious, a more nuanced approach to valuing subjects might involve prioritizing depth in certain areas over others, based on their broader relevance and impact.
Despite these limitations, using “typical major subjects taught at universities” as a starting point offers a reasonably practical framework for beginning to map out the landscape of knowledge.
Charting the Course: Which Subjects to Explore?
Knowledge can often be visualized as a tree. At the trunk, we find the major disciplines—physics, economics, religious studies. As we ascend, the tree branches out into increasingly specialized sub-disciplines: solid-state physics, econometrics, Tibetan Buddhism.
To effectively learn everything about anything any subject, it’s crucial to first identify the “trunks”—the foundational disciplines that serve as starting points for broader understanding.
Here’s a possible categorization, adapted from Wikipedia’s Outline of academic disciplines, to provide a starting structure:
- “Hard” Sciences:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Earth Sciences (Geology, Oceanography, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science)
- Social Sciences:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Applied Sciences:
- Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Computer, etc.)
- Management
- Medicine
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Mathematics (Pure and Applied)
- Computer Science (Theoretical, Applied)
- Humanities:
- Art (Art History, Visual Arts, Performing Arts)
- History (World History, Regional Histories, Thematic Histories)
- Languages (Linguistics, Specific Languages and Literatures)
- Law
- Philosophy (Logic, Ethics, Epistemology, Metaphysics)
- Religion (Religious Studies, Theology)
Each of these broad categories, of course, encompasses countless subtopics and specializations.
Depending on the depth of understanding you aim for in “knowing X” and how granularly you differentiate subtopics, the task of learning all of them comprehensively becomes undeniably impossible. However, even an unattainable goal can serve as a powerful directional guide, shaping your learning journey and inspiring continuous exploration.
The essence of this approach is to undertake a form of breadth-first search across this vast intellectual space. The aim is to gain sufficient breadth to grasp the core insights of most major fields, while allowing for deeper dives into subtopics that spark particular interest or align with personal goals.
Evaluating Your Intellectual Terrain: A Personal Progress Map
Self-assessment, especially when it comes to knowledge, is inherently challenging. We lack direct introspective access to the entirety of our memories. When we ask ourselves, “How well do I know X?”, we often substitute this complex question with easier, albeit less accurate, proxies like, “Have I taken a course on X?” or “Does this topic sound familiar?”.
This is particularly true when evaluating knowledge at such a broad, encompassing level as trying to learn everything about anything any subject. Even defining the scope of subjects to include is a complex task, making the evaluation of progress within each even more challenging.
Bearing these limitations in mind, attempting to estimate one’s relative knowledge across different disciplines can still be a useful exercise for personal direction. A rough, subjective benchmark can be helpful in gauging relative progress in different areas. For instance, a scale could be used:
- Beginner (Level 10): Equivalent to completing an introductory course or reading a couple of foundational books in the subject.
- Intermediate (Level 30): Reflects the knowledge gained from several courses or a dozen in-depth books, indicating a solid foundational understanding.
- Advanced (Level 50): Signifies substantial time investment through numerous books and courses, suggesting a deeper and more nuanced comprehension.
- Expert (Level 100): Roughly comparable to the level of knowledge acquired through intensive, focused learning projects like the MIT Challenge or a full undergraduate degree in a field.
It’s crucial to remember that these scores are entirely subjective and are only meaningful for evaluating personal relative progress across disciplines. This isn’t about standardized testing or external validation, but rather a tool for self-reflection and course correction.
Applying such a subjective scale to the subject categories outlined earlier might yield a personal knowledge map, highlighting areas of relative strength and areas ripe for further exploration. For example:
- “Hard” Sciences:
- Physics – Advanced (50)
- Chemistry – Intermediate (20)
- Biology – Intermediate (30)
- Earth Sciences – Beginner (5)
- Social Sciences:
- Anthropology – Beginner (10)
- Economics – Advanced (65)
- Psychology – Expert (90)
- Sociology – Beginner (10)
- Political Science – Beginner (10)
- Applied Sciences:
- Engineering – Intermediate (30)
- Management – Expert (100)
- Medicine – Intermediate (20)
- Mathematics and Computer Science: Expert (100)
- Humanities:
- Art – Intermediate (30)
- History – Intermediate (25)
- Languages – Expert (100)
- Law – Beginner (15)
- Philosophy – Intermediate (30)
- Religion – Intermediate (20)
Such a knowledge map immediately reveals “larger” gaps in understanding. In this example, Earth Sciences, Anthropology, and Political Science stand out as areas with relatively less explored intellectual terrain. Law also presents itself as a field ripe for deeper investigation.
It’s also important to recognize that these broad scores can mask specific gaps within categories. For instance, while “Languages” might score high due to language learning experience, the field of linguistics itself might be less explored. Similarly, “History,” despite some reading, is such a vast and multifaceted discipline that significant gaps are almost inevitable.
Strategies for Omnivorous Learning: Tools and Techniques
To effectively learn everything about anything any subject, a strategic approach to learning resources and techniques is essential. Several strategies can be particularly helpful in this broad intellectual pursuit.
One excellent starting point is leveraging online courses. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offered by top universities worldwide, often freely available on platforms like Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy, provide structured introductions to a vast range of subjects. Platforms like MIT OpenCourseWare offer course materials directly from prestigious institutions. For subjects in the humanities, where online course offerings might be less abundant, resources like The Great Courses (available on Audible) can provide comprehensive and engaging lectures.
Textbooks serve as another invaluable resource. They offer in-depth coverage of subjects with a higher degree of rigor than many popular books. Popular science or introductory books often simplify complex ideas, sometimes to the point of misrepresentation, by omitting essential mathematical underpinnings or nuanced reasoning. While these can be useful for gaining a general overview, textbooks are often necessary for acquiring the precise language and foundational knowledge needed to progress to more advanced study within a field.
Beyond passive consumption of information, actively practicing knowledge is crucial. Understanding art history is different from possessing the skill to create art. For many subjects in this broad learning endeavor, the practical outcome might be the ability to engage in informed conversations about a field, rather than becoming a practitioner or innovator within it. Therefore, hands-on laboratory work or intensive practical application may not always be necessary, as long as the core concepts and findings are grasped.
However, in some fields, knowing and doing are inextricably linked. Mathematics is a prime example, where true understanding often requires the ability to actively solve problems and apply mathematical principles.
While practical skills are valuable and pursued separately (like learning to ski, paint, write, or improve Mandarin speak Mandarin better), the focus here is on building a broad knowledge base across diverse academic subjects. This broad foundation, in turn, can enhance and inform the acquisition of practical skills. However, if the primary goal is purely skill acquisition, enrolling in university courses across numerous subjects is generally not the most efficient approach.
What about your own lifelong learning goals? Are there subjects you’re eager to explore that are currently missing from your knowledge landscape? Are there any key subject areas that you feel have been overlooked in this discussion? Your thoughts and insights are welcome and encouraged in the comments below. Let’s continue this journey of intellectual exploration together.
