The blogosphere as learning mechanism

I’m just reprinting this Tyler Cowen post in full - even the title is good enough to repeat:

Refuting this post helps confirm it

Chess players who train with computers are much stronger for it. They test their intuitions and receive rapid feedback as to what works, simply by running their program. People who learn economics through the blogosphere also receive feedback, especially if they sample dialogue across a number of blogs of differing perspectives. The feedback comes from which arguments other people found convincing. Do the points you wanted to hold firm on, or cede, correspond to the evolution of the dialogue? This feedback is not as accurate as Rybka but it's an ongoing test of your fluid intelligence and your ability to revise your opinion.

Not many outsiders understand what a powerful learning mechanism the blogosphere has set in place.

I could not agree more, which is why I love the blogosphere and blogging. I also think it will be particularly interesting to see how academia's relationship with the blogosphere evolves - to what extent this powerful learning mechanism is recognized in the mainstream, and incorporated into teaching beyond pioneers like MR and Chris Blattman (two of the first blogs I ever read).