Why do we need to study?
Why do we need to study?
Rajan Singh, CEO ConceptOwl, Ex-IPS, IITian, Wharton MBA
180.2k Views · 15.1k Upvotes
Two months ago, I asked a bunch of class 10th kids in a Trivandrum school: “Why do we have to study Quadratic(二次的) equations and all this Maths you are going through? Your parents also studied these things, but are they using it?“
You must have seen the delight in the students’ eyes that someone finally asked this question!
Some of them said, “Yes sir, we also wonder why all it is needed. But it is in the syllabus(教学大纲) - so we have to study.”
Here is what I told them.
“When you go to a gym, you lift weights or do biceps curls(二头肌蜷曲), bench press(卧推), or things like that. Why do you do that? In real life, how often do you have to do a biceps curl like movement to lift something?
The reason we do these exercises is to build our strength and stamina so that we can respond to any situation where we need physical strength. Even more importantly, it improves our overall health parameters and quality of life.
Similarly, the reason we study maths or any other subject is that they help build our mental muscle, develop logical thinking, and help us make sense of the world by recognizing patterns.
By studying, we are able to build mental models about the world, so that we can respond to situations more smartly than a monkey or an ape(大猩猩) would do.”
That, in a nutshell, is my answer to this question.
I also hope that we encourage our children to ask more of these questions and engage them in a meaningful discussion so that we produce thinking citizens, and not compliant robots.
▌词汇:
- quadratic：/kwɑˈdrætɪk/ (adj.) 二次的；(n.) 二次方程式；
- syllabus：/‘sɪləbəs/ (n.) (pl ~es) list of subjects, topics, texts, etc included in a course of study 教学大纲: ‘Hamlet’ is on this year’s English literature syllabus. 《哈姆雷特》是本学年英国文学教学大纲中规定的作品。
- biceps：/‘baɪsɛps/ (n.) (pl unchanged 复数不变) large muscle at the front of the upper arm, which bends the elbow 二头肌: His biceps is/are impressive. 他臂力过人。
- stamina：/‘stæmɪnə/ (n.) ability to endure much physical or mental strain; long-lasting energy and resilience; staying-power 精力; 耐力; 韧劲: Marathon runners need plenty of stamina. 参加马拉松长跑要有耐力。
- nutshell：(n.) 概括 You know, that’s it in a nutshell. 那是对我最好的概括。
- compliant：(adj.) ~ (withsb/sth) (usu derog 通常作贬义) (too) willing to comply (with other people, with rules, etc) （对於他人﹑ 规章等）（过於）顺从的, 百依百顺的, 惟命是听的。
▌翻译:
我们为什么要学习？
两个月前，我在特里凡得琅的一所学校里问了一群10年级的孩子， “为什么我们要学习二次方程和你们正在学习的所有这些数学知识? 你们的父母也学过这些东西，但他们现在用得着这些东西吗？”
学生们眼中满是喜悦，终于有人提出这个问题了！
他们有的说：”是的先生，我们也很奇怪为什么要学这些东西。但这些都在教学大纲中，所以我们必须得学习。”
如下是我告诉他们的：
“当你去健身房的时候，你会举重或做肱二头肌卷曲、卧推或类似的事情。你为什么要这样做呢？在现实生活中，你有多少次要做肱二头肌卷曲这样的动作才能举起东西？
我们做这些运动的原因是为了增强我们的力量和耐力，以便我们能够应对任何需要体力的情况。更重要的是，它能提高我们的整体的健康水平和生活质量。
同样，我们学习数学或任何其他科目的原因是它们有助于锻炼我们的逻辑思维，并帮助我们通过识认识事物的运行模式来理解这个世界。
通过学习，我们能够建立世界的模型，这样我们就能比猴子或大猩猩更聪明地应对出现在生活里的各种情况。”
简而言之，以上就是我对这个问题的回答。
我还希望我们能鼓励孩子们提出更多的这类问题，让他们参与更有意义的讨论中来，以便我们能培养出有思想的学生，而不是言听计从的机器人。
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