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sapinker's profile
Steven Pinker
Steven Pinker
Steven Pinker
Verified account
@sapinker

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Steven PinkerVerified account

@sapinker

Cognitive scientist at Harvard.

Boston, MA
pinker.wjh.harvard.edu
Joined January 2010

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    Steven Pinker‏Verified account @sapinker Aug 26

    Those Who Can Do Can’t Teach: Adam Grant's observations on teaching (experts are often the worst, because they suffer from The Curse of Knowledge) also applies to writing, as I argued in my essay "Why Academics Stink at Writing" https://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-Academics-Writing-Stinks/148989 …https://nyti.ms/2P5QedB 

    10:35 AM - 26 Aug 2018
    • 203 Retweets
    • 481 Likes
    • Jodi Beggs Barış Bayram (philosopher) HeWhoShallBeRedacted Navneet Arya Natalia Galvis umbilicolith Ethical-Possibility-Enhancement Hassan Tawfiq Steve
    29 replies 203 retweets 481 likes
      1. Adam B. Cohen‏ @AdamBCohen1 Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        Academics are good at the kind of writing they are trained to do, and less good at kinds of writing they are trained out of.

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      1. Laurens Gunnarsen‏ @MathPrinceps Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        It is worth noting that not all teaching is explicit, just as not all understanding is articulate. People learn much that is essential only through prolonged exposure to expert practice. Even an inarticulate master has a great deal to teach the patient and perspicacious student.

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      2. Camila Pulgar Machado‏ @CamilaPulgarMac Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        i can’t agree more, academic writing is a way to kill the immediate contact with the sparks of your creativity. You leave your own self behind your self in order to have a grade. So, you start felling exhausted of that frustration and you don’t want to think anymore on your words

        1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes
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      1. Raffaël Vonovier‏ @r_vonovier Aug 27
        Replying to @sapinker @marcelsalathe

        At least it keeps some jobs available for less able doers (including myself) - the “talkers” or “sellers” 😜

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
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      1. Daniel O'Brien‏ @DannyMuse008 Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        As an educator, I have generally found that it is easiest for me to teach the things I struggled with the most to learn.

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
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      1. P-Brane‏ @BraneRunner Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        Now I know why you write a lot. You are not so burdened by knowledge. 😉

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
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      1. Rhys Needham‏ @Rhys_Needham Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        The same happens a lot in sporting codes as well: the sporting legend moves into coaching after retiring, but hasn't a clue how to impart their own genius because it's innate and they don't understand the underlying fundamentals.

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
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      1. The grandmaster of funk Daniel‏ @ziinjin Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        Why do so many writers stink at thinking while being so cock sure they are in fact quite brilliant?

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
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      1. A O Connor‏ @AOC4 Aug 28
        Replying to @sapinker

        Those who can do, those who can't don't.

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      1. GiggsBoson‏ @giggs_boson Aug 27
        Replying to @sapinker

        What about Richard Feynman?

        0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
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      1. Matthew‏ @TSLAdude Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        So you're saying Feynman didnt know his material well.

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      1. The Goldilocks Zone‏ @ZScenarios Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        I've taken an alternative tact: I just completely make the subject up as I go along. Then research or work out what I'm unsure of - just in case I'm challenged. (After all, if the student knew the subject, they wouldn't be in your class in the first place.) 😀😀😀

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      1. Mabel-Lee‏ @LeederOfThePack Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker @Jesse_Livermore

        So using that logic backwards, can we assume journalists can't think?

        0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
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      1. Allan Guty‏ @AllanJGuty Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        Those who can do. Those who can’t teach. Those who can’t teach, teach gym.

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      1. mike koehl‏ @mpk62 Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker @Jesse_Livermore

        Why Ted Williams was a not-so-good manager.

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      1. zhanglao‏ @zhanglao8 Aug 26
        Replying to @sapinker

        two reasons I found most likely: 1, pleasure in showing off knowledge and simplicity---using technical terms for complex stuff. 2, lazy. most of stuff can be explained intuitively but it takes lots of time and effort. Both are human nature.

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