... in gaining a life insurance education, one problem does present itself... the basic question is where to begin. (p1)

1961 - Book - Modern Life Insurance, by Robert I. Mehr 

• (p1) - INTERDEPENDENCE OF SUBJECT MATTER
• The Subject of Life Insurance is one that everyone will discuss sooner or later.
  • Fortunately, nearly everybody knows something about it, but unfortunately many who buy it and some who sell it have only a superficial  knowledge.
    • Even those who legislate controls or propose reforms for the business are not always sufficiently informed.
  • What does one need to know to become adequately informed about life insurance?
    • It is essential that he know a few basic principles of law, mathematics, accounting, economics, marketing, finance, business management, statistics, history, and government—all as they apply to life insurance.
    • This seems a rather large order, but actually it is not, because everything is logical, and the pattern as a whole fits quite neatly.
  • However, in gaining a life insurance education, one problem does present itself.
    • Although the pieces fit together snugly, it is not easy to determine the order in which the pieces should be developed.
    • For example, to understand types of policies thoroughly one should know something about methods of premium computation.
    • But to comprehend premium computations adequately, one must know something about types of policies.
    • This interdependence applies with equal force to other aspects of knowledge about the field.
  • Thus, since it is necessary to know something of the whole to understand and appreciate the parts, the basic question is where to begin.