Is experiencing something is the only way to learn something new ?? :-o

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Well I don't think that Learning something new always mean that you have to experience it, although it helps immensely! There are many different ways to learn something new, such as learning by rote. That is the way schools used to teach for hundreds of years. Memorizing and writing something down over and over until it is force-fed into the brain. I do agree that it's not much enjoyable an better way to learn, but it does work. The actual question is, is it better to experience something yourself? In other words, does experiencing something make more of an impact than learning something out of a book or listening to someone who has done that particular something? I would have to say experience is the best teacher, but it is not the only way to learn. How about simulations? Think about a pilot and what they have to go through to learn how to fly. There are machines such as aircraft simulators that do a great job of giving the novice pilot the experience of flying. Everything a pilot could potentially encounter can be simulated. This is almost like the real thing, without the risk of crashing! And it does teach the pilot to be how to fly. So is it just like the real thing? Technically it appears to be, but it still has one ingredient missing. The missing factor is called reality. If someone is learning how to fly for real, they know that if they make a mistake it could be deadly! There is a real risk of crashing the plane and not only killing yourself but everyone on board. There is nothing more sobering than that reality, so when learning how to fly for real, all of your being better be into the experience! That reality just can't be duplicated with a simulator, because the simulator is make-believe. Does that mean the pilot can't learn on the simulator? No, it doesn't, it is just a different reality. There is a well known saying that "experience is the best teacher" Or how about "if I want to really learn something, I have to do it myself for real". There is a reason why these sayings have been around for such a long time. The reason is because it's the truth. Experience is the best teacher, and nothing can make a person learn something better than having them go through that experience. But what i want to say is that it is NOT the only way to learn something. It's just not practical for everyone to take a plane into the sky for real when they want to learn how to fly. Or, to just get into a car and start driving if they want to learn how to drive. This the reason there are simulations, not only for practicality, but in the economic sense also. So simulations have their place, and they do teach well. Teachers that impart information to students are just as important, and people learn all the time new things from other people. There is a time and place to experience the real thing. That time and that place should happen when as much groundwork can be layed out in advance, whether by simulations or the classroom. When that bridge has been crossed, then the real thing can be experienced.