I have finally understood why chess is very effective in teaching the young epistemology - chess is a language.
In a very loose sense everything in life is a language, whether you are Feynman or an ant.
Why
To many people on this forum chess is an end in itself, to me chess is a means to an end.
Why
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PeterTurland
- Posts: 541
- Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:03 pm
- Location: Leicester
-
PeterTurland
- Posts: 541
- Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:03 pm
- Location: Leicester
Re: Why
Children have a natural propensity for the acquisition of language and the
earlier the child learns a new language the easier it picks it up.
Chess more than anything, is a language.
Teaching reading and writing is difficult because of all the symbols that need
to be learned and then the rules needed to be known as to how the symbols
interact.
It is a very similar situation teaching mathematics.
Teaching requires the ability to impart the skill of symbol manipulation,
chess facilitates this.
At first sight in comparison, chess seems simple, 6 symbols (pawn, Rook,
Knight, Bishop, Queen and King) a few rules , the point of the game and 64
squares is far easier to teach first, than the other things an educated
citizen needs to know to be able to effectively interact with other citizens.
All chess players know that chess is a very long way from being simple.
So chess introduces the young mind to complexity.
The clever bit happens when the youngster works out that s/he will win many
more games if they know how to open, learning openings is a microcosm of
learning in general, learning openings is learning the 'lore' of chess, just as
in the same way, learning Latin and Shakespeare is learning the 'lore' of
English.
In summation, teaching chess to the very young, teaches them how to learn 'how
to learn'.
earlier the child learns a new language the easier it picks it up.
Chess more than anything, is a language.
Teaching reading and writing is difficult because of all the symbols that need
to be learned and then the rules needed to be known as to how the symbols
interact.
It is a very similar situation teaching mathematics.
Teaching requires the ability to impart the skill of symbol manipulation,
chess facilitates this.
At first sight in comparison, chess seems simple, 6 symbols (pawn, Rook,
Knight, Bishop, Queen and King) a few rules , the point of the game and 64
squares is far easier to teach first, than the other things an educated
citizen needs to know to be able to effectively interact with other citizens.
All chess players know that chess is a very long way from being simple.
So chess introduces the young mind to complexity.
The clever bit happens when the youngster works out that s/he will win many
more games if they know how to open, learning openings is a microcosm of
learning in general, learning openings is learning the 'lore' of chess, just as
in the same way, learning Latin and Shakespeare is learning the 'lore' of
English.
In summation, teaching chess to the very young, teaches them how to learn 'how
to learn'.