Hardest things to learn (topics/subjects)

[AndyC]

Hardest, most abstract things to learn, unique, specific or general, counterinituitive etc.
What are some topics/subjects that would fit an approximate description such as this?

 

[Ex-User (14663)]

From what I understand, quantum physics satisfies your criteria. I don't know much about it though.

One can probably argue some sub-fields of mathematics also satisfy the criteria. I mean, I've learned stuff like measure theory, which can be quite abstract but it's not really counter-intuitive. Probably all mathematical concepts are quite intuitive to the human brain because after all, we created them.

But then again, I've only dealt with applied mathematics so I don't really know what I'm talking about.

 

[HDINTP]

From what I understand, quantum physics satisfies your criteria. I don't know much about it though.

One can probably argue some sub-fields of mathematics also satisfy the criteria. I mean, I've learned stuff like measure theory, which can be quite abstract but it's not really counter-intuitive. Probably all mathematical concepts are quite intuitive to the human brain because after all, we created them.

But then again, I've only dealt with applied mathematics so I don't really know what I'm talking about.

Ehm Applied mathematics I try to avoid...

 

[Turnevies]

I work with quantum physics and it is rather hard indeed, but if you read a physics textbook it still seems to leave some space for relying on intuition.

A pure math book, in some field like topology or so, seems to be much more rigourous to me, subsequent definitions, theorems and proofs al the time without further issues of interpretation, and harder to read for a human.

But I suspect applied fields like cryptography can also be involved.

On a completely different level: politics in the sense that there are no 'rules' carved in stone to be succesful, probably this is partly relying on luck.

 

[Ex-User (8886)]

quantum physics - tomorrow I have an exam; it's complicated, require a lot of math, intuition and thinking, also there is little progress in this area, and most intelligent people for nearly 100 years didn't manage to solve some problems; so if you think about yourself as a genius and want some true challenge - quantum mechanics is the most difficult thing in the world to learn and solve;

 

[QuickTwist]

I find the hardest thing to learn is the subject of myself. Given that one already has a bias towards pretty much everything that falls in the line of their perception, and that a lot of these things have an effect on how we see ourselves, I find the hardest thing to do is learning to let go of biases about ourselves that are harmful.

There is a reason why many people do not find enlightenment or otherwise, simply a great understanding of themselves. That reason is because it is difficult to do.

Not only is this difficult, but its also immensely important.