Does studying make you smart?
The short answer:- yes
The long answer:-
Just like any activity that will push you towards your physical limit will help you create muscles, any activity that pushes you towards your intellectual limit, is bound to make you smart. Studying is not a very easy, intellectually lazy task.
By the way, what is the meaning of smart? When do we call someone smart?
When he/she can solve complex problems, see patterns which no one else can see, answers a question in a very convincing way , can teach you a difficult concept in the easiest way possible, understands the concept quickly etc etc
Now let’s say that you are studying genetics. If you keep studying genetics, you will discover new intellectual horizons, you will be thinking in ways you have never thought before. The same goes for math, and physics. The way you think starts to change. As time goes by , you will get recognize even the subtle patterns. You will be doing feats which you never thought possible.
Let me tell you my story:-
When I was small, I thought I’ll never be able to speak or learn english.
Now, at age 18, I have already written an epic fantasy novel, and some of my friends say that my language is so advanced that they can’t even understand it!! I am also fluent in speaking english.
When I was small, I thought it was impossible to do math where numbers are not involved.
Now, algebra for me is a piece of cake.
When I was small, I thought that it was impossible for me to memorize and recall more than 1 line of information at a time.
Now, I am forced to, and I can, and I have many times , memorized pages and pages of information related to Biology, physics and chemistry and recalled it with absolute precision.
When you are talking about the movement of objects, a thousands things about acceleration, initial velocity, final velocity , retardation, v= u+ at etc etc comes to my mind. As a result, I can solve 99.99% of the problems related to laws of motion.
I am not smart. ( my IQ is only 110).
But I work hard, and when I am able to solve problems , people call me smart.
So yes, studying can make you smart.