Talk:Autodidacticism

Autodidactic Category

Would it not be appropriate to create an autodidactic category and use it as an alternative to the enourmous list we have going. JesseHogan 03:34, 28 Dec 2004 (UTC)

I removed the list and created a category for Autodidacts. I'm hopeful that this will lead to a more thorough and accurate listing of famous autodidacts.JesseHogan 04:46, 6 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I have added your new category to the "Category" section, although it is embedded in the article's text. --Blainster 18:18, 10 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I felt like it should be removed so I took it out. Autodidacts are people, so it seems illogical to list a method of learning (Autodidacticism) under a classification of people. The category page and this article both link to one another so there shouldn't be an issue with page discovery. JesseHogan 23:19, 10 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Added the Nobel Prize of Literature José Saramago

You may know, José Saramago (Nobel Prize of Literature) at the age of 13 he was forced to abandon the studies and began to work as a mechanic. Then, he continued working as a locksmith for 30 years. Failed publishing his first novel in 1947. Saramago is a self made man, which without studies won the Nobel Prize of Literature. I find this important, to quote him as an autodidact. The reference where this is explained is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/cultura_sociedad/2009/06/090622_entrevista_saramago_pea.shtml An interview Saramago granted to the BBC. It is in Spanish (Saramago is a long term resident in Spain, in Las Islas Canarias). In the interview you will learn that he was an autodidact.

Lee Sallows quote

Perhaps this quote may be integrated:

“ You really don't need to go to school to obtain degrees in order to go to a university in order to become a researcher in order to be able to do something. Just do it ! --Lee Sallows ”

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.243.191.103 (talk • contribs)

References

Source checked before tagging claims

Hello all, I checked this source for mentions of literacy before adding a cn and ambiguous tag to the claims following:

"The Industrial Revolution created a new situation for self-directed learners.[citation needed] Before the twentieth century, only a small minority of people received an advanced academic education. As stated by Joseph Whitworth in his influential report on industry dated from 1853, literacy rates were higher in the United States.[ambiguous]"

Putting this here for future editors to be more WP:BOLD than I am feeling right now and either find a source or delete the uncited info. Also, is the hyperlink to Joseph Whitworth correct? Thanks so much!

JuxtaposedJacob (talk) 05:41, 1 September 2024 (UTC)

Hey, I absolutely agree that this is an ambiguous statement. I added "than in England", as the source text says on page 17, but really, as for the rest of the paragraph, this source mainly talks about the education levels of innovators, and not of the society as a whole. It really does need fixing, I believe, though it's beyond my ken and don't have the time to spend finding the right info... Catgirl (talk) 09:08, 17 June 2025 (UTC)

Practical information for self-taught students

I think most people stumble across this page when they're interested in self-studying something. It might be useful to add a section about careers and certifications that can be self-taught. Can an accountant self-study for the CPA exam? In what countries can lawyers self-study for certifications? What are alternatives to bachelors degrees that still require four years of study? Just some thoughts.

Sincerely, LeonhardEuler27

Edit: I think was also thinking about the history of apprenticeship. Benjamin Franklin apprenticed as a printer, so he was an example of a person who learned skills without a university, and Abraham Lincoln taught himself to read from a Bible. LeonhardEuler27 (talk) 23:20, 7 October 2025 (UTC)

My understanding is that autodidacticism is when a person is 'self-taught' , meaning that Franklin wouldn't have been an autodidactic printer, but he could still have been an autodidact. Likewise, I believe Lincoln had the rudiments of reading taught to him, so he wouldn't have been an autodidactic reader.

Regarding the information for students, I think that's a great idea, but it wouldn't fit well in this article. If someone is serious about become an attorney through self-taught study, they would be better served by looking at an article specifically for that. There are simply too many careers and details of those careers for this article to be comprehensive. Nvblue (talk) 18:02, 17 October 2025 (UTC)