The Learning Paradox: A Plausible Counterexample

Abstract

In the summer of 1985, Carl Bereiter published an article in the Review of Educational Research titled Toward a Solution of the Learning Paradox. Ever since, it has been my intention to provide a counterexample to the paradox. Fodor (1980b), who is credited by Bereiter as clearly stating the learning paradox, views learning as being necessarily inductive. “Let’s assume, once again, that learning is a matter of inductive inference, that is, a process of hypothesis formation¹ and confirmation” (p. 148). Given his view of learning, Fodor states the learning paradox in the following way.