Herman Rubin wrote:
> As I keep stating, a concept is not understood unless it can
> be used. If you cannot use it in situations differing from
> the examples and exercises, you do not understand it.
I cannot argue with that, nor do I wish to. My argument is
with the earlier statement that "concepts need little, if any,
practice", _especially_ in the context of the excerpt above.
This seems to suggest that with little or no practice, a good
student will be able to apply a concept in a wide range of
different areas, a statement which Muriel and I find contrary
to our own experience. [Perhaps I would be reading too much
into Herman's various statements to infer also a suggestion
that _with_ practice one becomes unable to do anything but
exercises.] Well-designed exercises train precisely the
ability to apply concepts that Herman so rightly praises; each
one introduces some novelty.
-Robert Dawson
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