A process of growing success in a fixed environment. E.g., mastering the violin, acquiring linguistic skills, increasing the accuracy of guesses, driving safer (Ackoff). Thus learning is not the same as acquiring knowledge through reception of
information even though this often precedes manifest improvements. Learning is also different from
problem solving which involves making decisions of how to bridge the gap between a present and a desired
state and
adaptation which implies changes in response to a changing environment not necessarily of growing success. One can only speak about learning when
behavior noticeably increases the
efficiency with which information is processed so that desirable states are reached, errors are avoided, or a portion of the world is
controlled. Consciousness may or may not be involved. Learning by trial and error is a process by which
feedback on errors prevents unsuccessful behavior from reoccurring thus increasing success. (
Krippendorff)
