"Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery - it's the sincerest form of learning." - George Bernard Shaw
Generally speaking, knowledge is the pursuit of all living things.
As part of the animal kingdom we educate ourselves for our survival, as do
birds learning to fly or lions learning to hunt. Learning even has implications
on the molecular level, with increasing evidence pointing to long-term
potentiation via the regulation of AMPA and NMDA channels in the synapse. The
idea here is that post-synaptic neurons in the brain physically change in
response to use over time, correlating use with channel up regulation. Perhaps
this is why cramming before a test is less effective than reviewing the
material on a regular basis leading up to an exam.