From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.ecf!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!speedy.acns.nwu.edu!learn Mon May 25 14:06:25 EDT 1992
Article 5763 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Path: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.ecf!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!speedy.acns.nwu.edu!learn
>From: learn@speedy.acns.nwu.edu (William J. Vajk)
Subject: Re: Mean thoughts on what meaning means(Papert's principle)
Message-ID: <1992May20.033302.1971@news.acns.nwu.edu>
Sender: usenet@news.acns.nwu.edu (Usenet on news.acns)
Organization: Dares No Organization Like Dis Organization
References: <1992May18.152434.10349@cs.ucf.edu> <1992May19.213842.26488@cs.ucf.edu>
Date: Wed, 20 May 1992 03:33:02 GMT
Lines: 27

In article <1992May19.213842.26488@cs.ucf.edu> Harley Myler writes:

>Didn't Einstein say "Never memorize anything that you can look up in a
>book"? This hits to the core of acquiring new administrative ways--it is
>more important to know how to find a fact than to store the fact. Don't
>take the "what one already knows" too literally, it does not mean to stop
>learning. Learn to learn more efficiently.

One of the better (IMO) ploys to teach the relationships of the dreaded
sine, cosine, tangent, etc., tigonometric relationships is known as the
unit circle. With a barely perceptual memory of the relationships, a circle,
and a few values, one can easily rebuild the entire suite. *But* a few
basic pieces are necessary, along with true comprehension, if one is not
merely performing the exercise on demand by rote.

Indeed, when a tradesman was working at my home a few years ago, he asked
me how to calculate the diagonal offset in stairs for which rise and run 
were equal. He was impressed that I could remember a number as perverse as 
1.414. He dutifully recorded the value in his little pocket notebook, but
took a pass on hearing the rest of the story.

><< Aren't convoluted arguments fun?>>

If it ain't convoluted it ain't fun ????? 
      ^^

Bill Vajk


