Posted on by E. K.

Benefits of Lifelong Learning in Personal Growth

Greetings Seekers, welcome back to Wulfhūs! I come to you all once more with another interesting perspective on life – this time with a focus on learning and development. As is my way, please see the below questions of which we will examine in this post:

  • Why is learning so important for us as humans?
  • What are the benefits of consistently learning throughout our entire lives?
  • What are some of the influential factors having knowledge or education can impact in your personal growth and development?

The concept of learning is defined as: the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught. Now learning itself isn’t strictly a concept acquired through classroom instruction. Learning is an ongoing process that takes place all throughout our lives and commonly entails repeated experiences both in and out of a classroom environment. Sometimes, something is learned by a single event that takes place, i.e., learning that it burns your hand to touch a hot stove.

As humans, our learning starts from birth all the way through our lifetime until death, resulting in knowledge acquired through ongoing interactions with others and our environments. There are several fields of study that focus on all that entails learning, such as educational psychology, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, linguistics, human development, and neuropsychology.

So why is learning so important for us as humans?

Learning serves humans in a variety of ways such as gaining new skills and knowledge so we may adapt to new situations, solve problems, make informed decisions, and grow individually in order to meaningfully contribute to society. One may also ask: why is contributing to society so important then?

In summary, contributing to society provides us the ability to foster feelings of belonging within a community of which can also provide us with a sense of purpose in life. Ultimately, being able and willing helps to create a better world by addressing the matter of societal needs and the overall improvement of others’ lives around us.

In doing some research for this post, I stumbled across an interesting essay from the National Institute of Health that focuses on the aspect of meaningfulness in the workplace and how it impacts society as a whole, here. It discusses the aspect of uncovering one’s purpose in life when considering the importance of the work they are doing.

What are the benefits of consistently learning throughout our entire lives?

Consistently learning through our lives is not only beneficial for general brain health, but several other reasons as well. Particularly, brain health benefits from lifelong learning because it helps brain cells continue to work well, which in turn may help to slow cognitive decline and dementia. A few of the other benefits are as listed:

  • Career success
    • Helps to develop skills that employers are looking for and of which can lead to new career opportunities.
  • Self-fullfillment
    • Helps you feel more fulfilled and in control of your life.
  • Social connection
    • Helps you connect with people who share your interests and promotes cross-cultural understanding.
  • Self confidence
    • Helps you feel more confident in your personal and professional life.
  • Emotional intelligence
    • Helps you develop emotional intelligence, resulting in a broadening of your perspectives.
  • Self-motivation
    • Helps you develop discipline and a strong sense of self in order to set new goals.
  • Challenge your beliefs
    • Helps you challenge your ideas and beliefs in order to learn new things that can help you grow as a person.

These examples of why lifelong learning is so important only scratch the surface. There are a plethora of other benefits to lifelong learning as well. An additional source I came across in doing my research for this post can be found on a website known as Research Gate here, where you can access millions of published essays on every discipline imaginable. The particular essay linked is from a case study done and then published in December of 2012, which examines the benefits of lifelong learning more in depth.

Now, we’ll move on to the last question I had proposed at the beginning of the post: what are some of the influential factors having knowledge or education can impact in your personal growth and development?

There are a variety of facets involved with general knowledge and education- especially taking into consideration those of which are present from lifelong learning of which we will examine.

To delve into the concept a bit more, I’d like to take a moment to talk about something called the Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom (DIKW) Pyramid.

The DIKW Pyramid was a concept first presented in 1988 by an organizational theorist by the name of Russel Ackhoff. Though initially the concept wasn’t presented as a pyramid graphic, the pyramid is most commonly referenced present-day to explain the hierarchical concept.

Figure 1

Research Gate | DIKW

Data

As defined by the Oxford Dictionary, data is facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis. In the concept of the DIKW Pyramid, it refers to a raw collection of facts such as numbers or characters, usually in an unorganised form. Without context, exposure to a slew of data would not have an understood purpose, per se- raw data would mean nothing. For example, without context, if one were to see 20250217, they would analyze that as just a sequence of numbers with no purpose. But, contextually, if it was organized as a date, it would read February 17, 2025. This point is when it becomes Information.

Information

As defined by the Oxford Dictionary, Information consists of facts provided or learned about something or someone and what is conveyed or represented by a particular arrangement or sequence of things. Information in the context of the DIKW Pyramid is when we analyze given data sets in the sense of: who, what, where, and when.

Although there are several types of data processing evident in the world, contextually, we’ll be examining the psychological perspective of Information processing when examining it from the lense of the DIKW pyramid. Information processing in this regard, includes:

  • Automatic Processing
    • Fast, efficient, mental cognitive process
  • Sensory Memory
    • First stage of information processing to include what we experience through our senses
  • Long-term Memory
    • Permanent storage of information to be accessed at a later time, usually assumed to have nearly infinite capacity and permanent duration
  • Working Memory
    • Aspect of memory that holds small amounts of data for a short amount of time, to be used immediately.

The aforementioned forms of information processing play into the DIKW Pyramid quite well, while in turn playing into the general, impactful importance of lifelong learning in personal growth overall.

Another factor to consider when it comes to information processing is the ability to expose relationships between things of drastic differences, and make sense of what we’re experiencing. As a result of these various information processing processes that take place, and by examining the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ and ‘when,’ we can effectively analyze that of which we’re experiencing in a way that makes the given ‘data,’ or, ‘information’ more useful for us.

Knowledge

As defined by the Oxford Dictionary, Knowledge is facts, information and skills acquired by a person through education and/or experience; it is awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. In the aspect of the DIKW Pyramid, it is the how information collected and assembled at the beginning of the pyramid is analyzed for understanding at a more in-depth level. This includes how given data can be applied to achieve whatever goals we set forth to do.

When we cognitively analyze data from a lense of understanding more in depth than simple descriptions of information,  we are applying knowledge. Additionally, by knowing how to apply facts, information, and skills we have, it becomes knowledge.

Wisdom

As defined by the Oxford Dictionary, Wisdom is: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment or the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

At the top of the DIKW hierarchy, we have wisdom. This point is where not only do we apply knowledge we have gained based on the knowledge, information, and data we have acquired, but we start asking the ‘why.’ An important point to mention, and as exhibited in the graphic above (Figure 1), is that when we reach this point of Wisdom, it encompasses shared knowledge in addition to what knowledge we have as individuals.

So how does the DIKW Pyramid play into the benefits of lifelong learning in personal growth?

When thinking of the DIKW Pyramid, we can use its design as a framework for cognitive decision-making.

What is cognitive decision-making?

  • The mental processes of selecting a course of action based upon the understanding of multiple perspectives or options that are exposed to us, and by considering and evaluating information utilizing cognitive abilities such as:
    • Perception
    • Attention
    • Memory
    • Reasoning
    • Judgement

By analyzing data provided to us from a lens of deeper understanding, and while understanding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of something, we can make informed decisions in the present, as well as when looking to the future.

What additional facets are important to consider when thinking about general knowledge and education in lifelong learning?

Here a few of the facets I have in mind when thinking about this question:

  • Career Advancement and professional growth
  • Enhanced cognition, social connection, networking and brain health
  • Improved adaptability to change, emotional health and stress reduction
  • Broadening perspectives and cultural awareness

By taking into consideration each of these facets, it is evident that lifelong learning and attaining education offers more benefits than setbacks. Becoming familiar with the diverse styles of learning available to us as humans is also paramount with regard to long-term benefits and attaining one’s goals and dreams.

Conclusion

Overall, it is clear that there are a slew of benefits to lifelong learning, whether taking into consideration the physical health improvements it offers to the brain, or, taking into consideration one’s societal role, cultural awareness and mindfulness. Additionally, by using the DIKW model and framework to come to a thorough cognitive understanding of data and experiences we as humans are exposed to daily, it helps us to make calculated, informed decisions in present-time, and in considering our future interests.

I hope this was an informative post, and if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to post your thoughts and continue the discussion in the comments below.

Until next time,

– E.K.

The Wandering Wolf

Hello and welcome to Wulfhūs once more!

Join me as we examine language evolution over many eons, up to the present day. For this post, specifically, it’s going to be a basic overview of what “language” is and the phenomenon that is “language evolution.” I will also give a brief rundown on Linguistics. At the end of the post, I will be sharing my plan for the order of this extensive series to commence soon hereafter – much is to come, enjoy!

As is my way, I prefer to start my blog posts with a few questions to examine and discuss throughout.

For reference: What is Linguistics? What is Language? What is Language Evolution, and why does it occur?

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| Linguistics |

By definition, Linguistics is the study of language and its structure. There are 5 components to take into consideration as applicable to what makes up Linguistics:

  • Phonology: A branch of linguistics that deals with systems of sounds within a language or between different languages.
  • Morphology: The study of the forms of words.
  • Syntax: A branch of Linguistics focusing on a set of rules for, or as an analysis of, the syntax of a language.
  • Semantics: A branch of linguistics and logic concerned with the meaning of words, phrases, sentences or texts.
  • Pragmatics: A branch of linguistics dealing with language in use, and the contexts in which it is used.

Elaboration of each of those components is touched on a bit in my newest post.

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| Language |

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Language is defined in three ways as according to Oxford definition sources:

  • The principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture.
  • A system of communication used by a particular country or community.
  • The style of a piece of writing or speech.

Now, please tag along further, as we travel back in time to where it all began.

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Although the origin and first record of language is still debated to this day, the most common belief is that the very first record of language having been discovered was Egyptian, from 2690 BCE. Next came Sumerian, and then Akkadian – both of which were more commonly recognized previously as the first. To date, there are roughly 7,000 languages spoken worldwide.

As I was working through my research for this blog, I came across a post from a Travel Agency on their website that included a visual timeline of language origin as according to record of when first written – feel free to check it out here.

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How long has research into the origin of language been around, and what is the “fruit of its labor?”

Understanding the origin and functionality of language serves countless reasons – the most impactful being, simply, for the sake of human cooperation. In a primitive sense, this was: cooperation in hunting, promoting bonding, nurture, and a plethora of other functions and purposes for the sake of survival.

An important aspect to consider when it comes to language is context. As shown above, there are three definitions for language; context is indicative of whether we are considering verbal, non-verbal, or written language.

When it comes to where the first record of research began, it was Greek philosophers who began to study and hypothesize language origin in the Third and Fourth centuries BCE. In those times, the focus  of their hypothesizing was also amidst debates from two different theorizing groups of the time: Conventionalists and Naturalists.

Conventionalists erred on the perception that the relationship between the formation of language and its meaning (purpose) was subjective and canon for society, whereas Naturalists erred on the perception that language and its meaning (purpose) had a natural association with whatsoever it referred to in the real world. These philisophical hypotheses led to what is now known, more recognizably, as the discipline of Etymology – the study of words.

These first examinations of language by Greek Philosophers, while paired with research that had been started over in India, also paved the way for a new scientific discipline to get established – that of which came to be known later as Linguistics.

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Without getting too in depth with the timeline of linguistics development (more on this, and credit given to its author, here), I’d like to jump ahead to more presently, come the 20th Century when Swiss Linguist, Ferdinand de Saussure, hypothesized the following Principles of Linguistics:

  • Langue vs. Parole:
    • Langue: Language System
    • Parole: Language Behaviour

Stemming from Academia c. 1916 by Swiss Linguist Ferdinand De Saussure when he published his Course in General Linguistics, Langue refers to an abstract system of “signs” (meaningful “events”) prevalent in structure  of a language. He credited language as a system inandofitself in this context, rather than it’s counterpart Parole, which refers to “individual expressions” within a language – of which become products of Langue.

“The language system is not a function of the speaking subject, it is the product which the individual registers passively…”

– Ferdinand De Saussure

These principles postulated, additionally, that a structural approach to linguistics is to not be restricted to a finite, streamlined, method of processes encompassing the study of present meaning, phonology and grammar (i.e focusing only on historical context of language origin) – that by analyzing language with both Langue and Parole summed to their product, then and only then, a language can be studied, and understood, wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, though, this philosophy was not widely accepted by other thinkers of the time – it wasn’t until much later that this philosophy was reconsidered and expounded upon a couple of decades later – in the realm of what came to be known as linguistic Structuralism.

What is Structural Linguistics (Structuralism) and why is this important to the origin of language and its evolution?

As defined, according to Oxford Dictionary sources:

  • Structuralism: A branch of linguistics that deals with language as a system of interrelated structures, [and] emphasizing the accurate identification of syntactic and lexical form as opposed to meaning and historical development.

What this implies, then, is that Structuralism (linguistically) provides a way to learn and study language with definitive pattern recognition – i.e., language can be divided into various different components with relation to each other, and we can analyze how these components interact in order to form, and understand, its grammatical rules.

Structuralism then, in the context of language evolution, offers us a way to study how grammatical cases have changed over time. It also allows for a way to analyze language from a subjective, Synchronic (study of language at a particular, given point in time) perspective rather than an objective, Diachronic (study of language change, historically over time) perspective.

An important last consideration I’d like to make on the topic of Structuralism is: the first instance of this branch of linguistic study, as it relates to language, stems from a European standpoint. Though very similar, the American standpoint on Structuralism has more of a focus on formal models of language rather than this philisophical approach to the idea or theory of what Structuralism is and how it gets applied to study. More about this will come in a later post.

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| Language Evolution |

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We’ve gone over quite a bit as relating to Language overall so far – its history and its study through the development of Linguistics as a field – now we will transition to discuss language evolution.

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What is Language Evolution, and why is it important to learn about?

For many eons, humans have utilized language as a way to communicate, cooperate, and simply coexist. With such a broad time frame – and like the infrastructure of our communities – language also ebbs, flows, and grows. Humans have developed a slew of language systems in order to communicate throughout history – whether verbal, non-verbal, or through writing systems – such as the Cuneiform in the Ancient Middle-East, to the Indigenous Petroglyphs of the Americas.

Overall, language evolution is a very broad topic for discussion. Study encompassing it includes aspects of natural sciences such as: anthropology, archaeology, biology, philosophy, and many other disciplines, respectively. In other words, much of what impacts the phenomenon of language evolution is dependent on many variables, and there is no single answer as to its purpose and applicability for modern applications.

When it comes to examining language evolution, there are two running theories postulated to this day as to the origin of “how” and “why” language evolved. These theories are known as:

  • Continuity Theory: A theory developed that postulated language evolved gradually from earlier forms of communication in non-human animals and homonids.
  • Discontinuity Theory: A theory developed that postulated human language was unique by nature – that it “spontaneously appeared” as opposed to having evolved from said animals’ or hominids’ method(s) of communication.

These are the two most prevalent theories debated and most commonly recognized, though other theories such as having to do with genetics and learning in social interactions have surfaced more recently.

As much debate as is still prominent in modern-day interpretations and attempts at explanation, the reasoning behind how language evolution came to be – and a “language-ready” brain developed – still remains much a mystery.

The one constant that has been supported across the board, though, is that human language – whether verbal, non-verbal, or written – and language evolution, must have all evolved from earlier, more primitive forms of communication.

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In closing, the phenomena of languages and language evolution are both complex. What has been covered in this post only narrowly touches the surface of the examination into all of these topics of study.

Conclusively, while linguistics focuses on the study of language according to its structure (in words, as well as in sentences and phrases), language evolution focuses more on the origin of language from various different scientific disciplines – all of which correlate with its prevalence, usage, and philosophies. Additionally, the phenomenon of language and language evolution are more complex than can be warranted by a single, basic interpretation or explanation for/and of its existence.

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Now, as promised, please see below for a brief rundown on what to expect from the start of this series moving forward~

| The Scope: |

Series I: An Introduction to Linguistics

  • 5 Components of Linguistics
  • An Introduction to Historical Linguistics
  • An Introduction to Literary Linguistics
  • An Introduction to Language Acquisition, Dialectology, and Conversation Analysis
  • An Introduction to Psycholinguistics
  • An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

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Series II: Independent Study: Proto-languages

  • Proto-Indo-European/Germanic: An Introduction
    • North Germanic
    • East Germanic
    • West Germanic
  • Proto Slavic: An Introduction
  • Proto-Semetic: An Introduction
  • Proto-Sino-Tibetan: An Introduction

As I bring this post to a close, I would like to thank you all for joining me once more, and I look forward to exploring all of these concepts with you in due time.

Stay tuned for more!

Cordially,

– E.K.

The Wandering Wolf