This empirical nature of learning is the basis of many human superstitions and myths. Along with many useful and survival-enhancing behavior patterns we also learn many useless and sometimes harmful patterns. I regard almost all beliefs in the efficacy of prayer, for example, to be superstitious as described above. Logical thinking is unique to humans on Earth, although chimpanzees have been shown to be capable of learning very simple logic. Logical thinking is what makes us humans capable of rejecting superstition and myth in favor of rationality and reason.
Rationality requires the application of a great deal of formal schooling, or education.