Memory

Amazed to hear questions like "In trial X, what is the percentage of subjects having this complication ?" in some diploma examination. Oh, I should not be amazed - some specialists ask similar questions on numeric details in MB examination.

Those who have read A Study in Scarlet would remember very well the analogy that Sherlock Holmes put up when he was asked on questions about the solar system: our memory is a (small) room with limited capacity. We should not put in too much irrelevant things, otherwise there would be not place for useful information.

What our great detective didn't say was that the room in Baker Street 221B has a very high roof - so as most of the rooms of our memory. We put numeric details on the floor (where they deserve !), occupying very much of our room. What one should aim for is really to see the relation between items and appreciate the underlying principles - so that we can pile up the items without taking up much space.