I picked up Leslie Valiant’s The Importance of Being Educable expecting a deep dive into human intelligence, but what I got was something far more personal and relevant. Valiant argues that our real power isn’t just in “intelligence” but in what he calls “educability”—the ability to learn, adapt, and refine knowledge, even when the world around us makes it difficult. This concept felt immediately relevant. We live in a time of nonstop information, often more overwhelming than enlightening, and Valiant points out that our unique human trait—the ability to learn thoughtfully—is exactly what can keep us grounded.
Valiant’s focus on “educability” is refreshing. He’s not talking about memorizing facts or scoring high on an IQ test; he’s talking about something much deeper. It’s our ability to learn from experience, to question, and to adapt in a way that no AI can mimic (at least, not yet). And this isn’t just theoretical for him. He stresses that in an age of misinformation, we need this skill more than ever. His idea of an “adversarial environment”—where falsehoods and half-truths are everywhere—is a reminder that the world is often out to sway our opinions, sometimes not in our best interest. Strengthening our capacity to discern fact from noise, he argues, is as essential as ever.
The book feels like a call to action. Valiant isn’t just giving us a new definition of human uniqueness; he’s challenging us to embrace it. In his view, our educability isn’t just a trait to celebrate—it’s a skill to cultivate. He makes a solid case that, by nurturing this capacity, we’re better equipped to navigate the complexities of modern life and even the uncertainties AI brings.
Reading this, I felt like I’d been given a roadmap for understanding our place in the future. Valiant’s message is clear: If we want to remain resilient, if we want to keep a strong sense of human identity amid rapid change, we need to double down on our capacity to learn thoughtfully. This book feels less like an academic read and more like a wise friend reminding us what makes us uniquely capable. A worthwhile read if you’re ready to see learning as a lifelong superpower.
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