January 2025
Blueprint for a Revolution in the Reproduction of Practical Knowledge
An outline of the philosophy, theory, and design of Super Practica in as brief as I could put it [PDF]
Table of Contents Notices Synopsis Introduction 1 2 1: What Kind of Game is Mathematics? 1.1: Mathematics is a game 1.2: Gameplay 1 – Setup 1.3: Gameplay 2 – Solution 1.4: The nature of insight 1.5: Rules 1 – Actions and states 1.6: Rules 2 – Puzzles and procedures 1.7: Rules 3 - Interconnection 1.8: Goals 1.9: Verification 1 – Reliability 1.10: Verification 2 – Structure 1.11: Verification 3 – Confidence 1.12: The game of mathematics 1.13: Introducing Super Practica A 2: Redesign of Mathematics to be Easy to Play 2.1: Mechanization 1 – Introduction 2.2: Mechanization 2 – Requirements 2.3: Usability 1 2.4: Playability 2 2.5: The pimnet system 2.6: Interaction 2.7: Pims 2.8: Pims together 2.9: Interconnections 1 – Objects 2.10: Interconnections 2 – Symbols 2.11: Interconnections 3 – Translation 2.12: Level-start 2.13: Level-end 2.14: Design problems 2.15: Introducing the theory 3: Fundamentals of Practical Knowledge 3.1: The nature of imagination 3.2: Ecological habituation 3.3: Practical knowledge 3.4: Specification of practical knowledge 3.5: How you learn to play a game 3.6: Contrast with educational theories 1 3.7: Contrast with educational theories 2 3.8: The true value of rules 3.9: Continuous correction 3.10: Suggestive signaling 3.11: Modeling 3.12: The true value of instruction 3.13: Game-plans 3.14: The true value of teaching 3.15: The optimal method 1 – A start 4: Measurement of Practical Knowledge 4.1: The value of measurement 4.2: The true measure of mathematical knowledge 4.3: The optimal test 4.4: How not to well-design a simulation 4.5: Transferability 4.6: How to well-design a simulation 1 4.7: How to well-design a simulation 2 4.8: The sufficiency of simulation 4.9: Introducing Super Practica B 5: Simulation of the Situations of Expert Mathematical Practice 5.1: The nature of application 1 – Problems and solutions 5.2: The nature of application 2 – Sequence 5.3: The nature of application 3 – Complications 5.4: Simulating application 1 – Common mechanics 5.5: Simulating application 2 – Modes 5.6: Simulating application 3 – Similar games 5.7: Simulating application 4 – Initial design 5.8: Time constraint 5.9: Resource constraint 5.10: The practical nature of proof 1 5.11: The practical nature of proof 2 5.12: The social nature of proof 1 – Persuasion 5.13: The social nature of proof 2 – Consensus 5.14: Existing simulation of proof 5.15: Simulating proof 1 – Two games 5.16: Simulating proof 2 – Levels 5.17: Simulating proof 3 – Interface 5.18: Outstanding design problems 6: Reliable Reproduction of Practical Knowledge 6.1: The value of reliable progression 6.2: Existing reliable progression 6.3: The nature of difficulty 6.4: The nature of difficulty spikes 6.5: Playthruability 1 – Measure 6.6: Playthruability 2 – Structure 6.7: The optimal method 2 – Conclusion 6.8: The optimal method 3 – Design 6.9: How to design a playthruable progression 6.10: Quantitative intermediation 6.11: Elemental intermediation 1 – Isolation 6.12: Elemental intermediation 2 – Gradual synthesis 6.13: Elemental intermediation 3 – Variation 6.14: Funnel constraint 6.15: Branching progression 6.16: Introducing Super Practica C 7: Design of a Reliable Level-Progression for Mathematics 7.1: Progress in many dimensions 7.2: Level-selection map 7.3: Decreasing guidance 1 – Soft constraint 7.4: Decreasing guidance 2 – Full progression 7.5: Exploring variations 7.6: Increasing speed 7.7: Composing tasks 7.8: Climbing the verificational structure 7.9: Symbolizing pictures 1 – Relation between symbols and pictures 7.10: Symbolizing pictures 2 – Progression 7.11: Collecting methods 7.12: Progression to simulations 1 – Direction 7.13: Progression to simulations 2 – Unlocking 7.14: Continuous revision 8: The Tree of Super Practica 8.1: The empirical framework 8.2: Empirical design problems 8.3: Growth and coverage 8.4: Begin with arithmetic 8.5: Growth along branches 8.6: Holes in coverage 8.7: Unstoppable growth 8.8: The value of unification 8.9: Beyond mathematics 1 – Suitability 8.10: Beyond mathematics 2 – Topics 8.11: Summary 9: Let’s Develop Super Practica 9.1: Open-source development 1 9.2: Open-source development 2 9.3: Proposition for funding 1 9.4: Proposition for funding 2 9.5: Collaborative design 1 – Logical method 9.6: Collaborative design 2 – Iteration 9.7: Collaborative design 3 – Scientific method 9.8: Collaborative design 4 – Shared premises 9.9: Design for the player 9.10: Respect and affirm the player’s freedom 9.11: Aim for optimal design 9.12: Design for humans universally 9.13: Minimize frustration, do not maximize fun 9.14: Materialism 9.15: Pragmatism/Contextualism 9.16: Contextual materialism 9.17: Conclusion A: Notes on Mathematics A.1: Empirical sources for my analysis of the structure of mathematics A.2: Theoretical influences on my analysis of the structure of mathematics A.3: Corroboration of the social nature of proof A.4: Proof that axiomatic proof is simulation A.5: Mathematical mysticism A.6: Reintroducing self-consciousness B: Notes on Games B.1: Methods of game analysis B.2: Interaction design vocabulary B.3: Gamification, mechanization, and specification B.4: Ambiguity in the word “game” B.5: The nature of virtual worlds B.6: The nature of frustration B.7: Operant conditioning in game design B.8: Methods of abusing players for money C: Notes on Practical Knowledge C.1: Empirical sources for my theory of practical knowledge C.2: Theoretical influences on my theory of practical knowledge C.3: The structure and subject of my theory of practical knowledge C.4: Ambiguity in the word “knowledge” C.5: Epistemic ethics of reproducing practical knowledge C.6: The necessity of voluntary play C.7: You learn to play the game as you play the game C.8: The only method of reproducing practical knowledge C.9: Is all knowledge practical knowledge? D: Notes on Education and Psychology D.1: The antiquity of the idea of teaching mathematics by games D.2: Educational theories versus psychological theories D.3: Contrast with constructivist educational theories D.4: Contrast with behaviorist educational theories D.5: The pseudo-empiricism and obsolescence of schooltesting D.6: The efficiency of optimal design E: Notes on the Development of Super Practica E.1: On confidence and failure E.2: Noticing potential improvements E.3: The place of Super Practica in its simulations E.4: Simulating verification E.5: Problems in decreasing guidance E.6: How to design time constraints E.7: There is no progression for increasing accuracy E.8: Direction of progression between solution-domains and problem-domains E.9: Free software vocabulary E.10: What kind of game is Super Practica? Notices Author: Svetogam
169 minutes
35842 words
December 2024
Overview of planning and progress for future releases
Current Release: Pre-Player-Facing Demo 3 (v0.7.2) For summaries of current and past releases, see the Changelog. Next Major Release: Player-Facing Demo (v0.8.0) Overview Releasing a player-facing demo is the top priority. This demo will initially have only 1 pim and 1 topic containing levels progressing from 1-digit to 2-digit addition. The priority will be to make the start of the full progression of the game enjoyable and easily playable. While low on content, the point is to develop functioning core features that can be reused in future content. Focus will also be given to developing infrastructure and backend systems that will enable faster and more effective development in the future.
4 minutes
723 words