Introduction - On the Joy of Encountering Unfamiliar Questions

Ⅰ Learning attitude

Daily life on one plate
2 The scope of the teacher
3 Disciples and Assistants
4 The Role of the Evangelist

Ⅱ Foundation of Learning

5 Unprotected Reading
6 Intellectual vital capacity
7. Storage of Memory
8 A new world called foreign language

Ⅲ The Joy of Learning

9 Academic High
10 Intellectual Excitement and the Functioning of the Intellect
11 Dance and Practice

Ⅳ Distorted Learning

12 The 'True' Self and Identity
13 What to Learn
14 Useful Knowledge

V The Role of Learning

15 The Essence of Academics
16 Researcher's Statement
17 Honest Writing
18 Evangelistic Style

Ⅵ The Fruit of Learning

19 The meaning of Machiba
20 The Power of Parables
21 Democracy and Citizens
22 Unruly thoughts
23 Religion and Religiosity

Ⅶ The Path of Lifelong Learning

24 The Courage to Follow Your Intuition
Meaning of the 25th academic year

The words that come out - a request to become an adult
Translator's Note - Preaching the Work of Wisdom
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★Books by Japanese authors published in Korea

To Korean readers who ask about the path to learning─
"Ageless Intelligence" by Tatsuru Uchida on Adult Study Methods

The more people value life, the more interested they are in learning.
Because people grow through learning.
Children become adults through learning, and adults become better adults through learning.
No one can mature without learning.
The Joy of Ignorance is a book about learning, maturity, and adult study.
Tatsuru Uchida is a bestselling author and thinker who has been exploring various academic fields since his twenties, exploring and cultivating his own path of learning and communicating with the public.
The nickname 'Street Thinker' perfectly captures the teacher's daily life, as he writes boldly across borders on society, politics, culture, art, education, and other fields, even though he is well over seventy years old.
This book is the first message the teacher has sent to Korean readers who are asking about the path to learning.
All of the teacher's books introduced to Korea so far were originally published in Japan and then translated into Korean, but this book was planned in Korea from the beginning and written exclusively for Korean readers.


Changes in society change the channels and methods of learning.
In the past, people broadened their learning by seeking out a good teacher and emulating the wisdom he accumulated over a lifetime. However, with so much knowledge available now, the key is to quickly acquire useful knowledge that suits one's interests and can be applied immediately. As online communication becomes more active, there are more cases of seeking out 'online mentors' to share their experiences when needed.
Learning opportunities have increased and broadened, and we can now receive diverse teachings from more people.
But in reality, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find adults worthy of emulation in our society.
I became even more confused about who to ask for proper teachings and how to get them.
To this end, Korean editors and translators have painstakingly compiled twenty-five questions that are crucial for Korean society today.

In a world literally overflowing with content, how should we embrace knowledge and culture and find our own interests and subjects to study?
There is a constant debate about the literacy of the younger generation, so how should we lay the foundation for reading and writing skills?
What are the root causes of the overheated English learning phenomenon that has persisted for generations, and how can we solve it?
The teacher adds his signature wit to each question, offering ingenious solutions, saying, “These are all unfamiliar questions that I have never received from the Japanese public or media.”
The writing, which is written in the format of a question and answer, is filled with wisdom that has matured over time and the enlightenment gained through life's journey of both civil and military life.
Usually, we expect knowledge, preparedness, and experience from great adults, but the teacher says that ignorance, defenselessness, and innocence are the most solid foundations for learning.
Adults are grown up and have nothing to learn, they are not human.
A society where many adults are willing to learn throughout their lives can grow intellectually and become a more mature society.
This book contains the essence of learning, the study methods that the teacher has learned throughout his life.

Ignorance, defenselessness, and innocence are the most solid foundations for learning.

Francis Bacon, a pioneer of modern philosophy, encouraged learning with the saying, “Knowledge is power,” but in this book, Tatsuru Uchida says, “Making a long list of things you don’t understand is a way to enjoy them for a long time.”
If you think about it, it's true.
You have to know what you don't know before you can find something to learn from, and learning can only begin when you can admit your ignorance.
Ignorance is not something that can be eliminated immediately upon learning, and it takes time to realize anything.
In other words, the more you develop the strength to endure 'ignorance', the more you will be able to learn.
This is why studying is not easy for adults.
Because most adults are either unable to tolerate their ignorance or are too embarrassed to hide it.
This is precisely what the teacher meant when he said that those who innocently accept their ignorance can learn happily for a long time.
Perhaps the lifelong study of Tatsuru Uchida, who never grows old despite his age, whose thoughts grow deeper with age yet never strays from the norm, ultimately stems from this foundation. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to delve deeper into his uniqueness and his thoughts through his previous works, as well as to anyone who has never read his work but wishes to find their own path and live a life of learning.