In chess, we have gears-level mechanisms to explain why various moves are good. Some are principled, like control of the center and development. Others are obtained from backchaining. We have an unambiguous victory condition. It’s easy to play and quick to resolve any individual game. And we can get information on whether or not they really help by looking at player ratings.
In the real world, everything is harder. More complex, less defined, slower, harder, without a complete list of rules and mechanisms, only the roughest strategy worked out, little agreement on who’s the best or what victory looks like, and no ability to look at their complete set of decisions to see how they achieved success.
Backchaining and making principled moves are still the guiding lights. In fact, my dad says “you can drive across the country by the light of your headlights.”
In chess, we have gears-level mechanisms to explain why various moves are good. Some are principled, like control of the center and development. Others are obtained from backchaining. We have an unambiguous victory condition. It’s easy to play and quick to resolve any individual game. And we can get information on whether or not they really help by looking at player ratings.
In the real world, everything is harder. More complex, less defined, slower, harder, without a complete list of rules and mechanisms, only the roughest strategy worked out, little agreement on who’s the best or what victory looks like, and no ability to look at their complete set of decisions to see how they achieved success.
Backchaining and making principled moves are still the guiding lights. In fact, my dad says “you can drive across the country by the light of your headlights.”