BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK
United States
Bozeman
MT
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Zendo's one of my favorite multiplayer games. I'm a scientist, and Zendo is about the scientific method, but not only - playing it actually makes you *skilled* at the scientific method. It's also fun and addictive, rare qualities in a game with real (nay profound) educational value. I want more people to understand what a potent learning tool this game is.
When a kid first learns about science in school, she usually doesn't actually learn science. Instead her teacher makes her memorize a collection of trivia and tells her it's science. Then she gets bored and stops caring. That's how it was for me anyway - I didn't appreciate science until I was older and began educating myself outside school. Only then did I realize that science isn't a bunch of lifeless trivia, but rather it's a method and an art, like playing the violin, and by mastering it you can do near-miraculous things, like change the way we view reality or fix intractable problems.
When I finally understood this, I was intoxicated and I never looked back. I wonder how many others would have caught the same fever without the misconceptions of grade-school.
I also wonder how many more science majors would have a better clue about how to do science. Imagine if early violin training consisted mostly of discussions about the violin. How many great violinists would there be? Not many.
Yet that's how we train young scientists, even undergrads. Sure, we hold labs for students, but a) they're infrequent, like playing the violin once a week; and b) they don't really train inductive reasoning or experimental design skills - they're often just recipes to turn some solution red or whatever, which have little to do with real scientific thought.
Lucky for us, there's a way to practice the scientific method, rigorously, at any level, from kindergarten to post-grad and beyond, on a table top without pricey equipment:
Zendo - the scientific method in a box.
First, an overview of the game, in which I've taken the liberty of re-theming it as an exercise in the scientific method (the original theme is some Buddhist-sounding mumbo jumbo having nothing to do with real Buddhism):
Let's say we have three players.
1. To begin, one player (let's call him The Universe) secretly invents a law of nature. The law describes the conditions under which an arrangement of objects on a table are to be marked with a white stone, or a black stone. Here's a simple example law: "If the arrangement contains at least 3 objects, then it's marked with a white stone. Otherwise it's marked with a black stone."
2. Then, the other two players (let's call them scientists) take turns doing experiments.
3. Each scientist sets up an experiment. The experiment takes the form of an arrangement of objects on a table. The outcome of the experiment is either a black or white stone which the universe places next to it, according to the secret law of nature.
4. As the game proceeds, experimental results build up on the table. The more there are, the more information the scientists have about the law of nature.
5. Finally, scientists can earn the right to make guesses (hypotheses) about what the law of nature is. When a scientist states a hypothesis, the universe must create an experimental counterexample which disproves it, or else that scientist wins.
There's a bit more to it, but this is all you need to know to follow my points below. In summary, scientists do experiments, observe the results, and based on those results, make up hypotheses about the law of nature, which are disproved if they're wrong.
The sequence of events mimics the real scientific method well (with one important exception to which I'll return at the end). Here's the great thing: issues that pop up in real science also emerge in the game. Here are four:
1. Ambiguous Hypotheses - Sometimes, a scientist will state an unclear hypothesis. In this case, the universe must ask for clarification to construct a counterexample. This is one of the central problems of real science too: how to construct testable hypotheses? Zendo's a forum in which to practice the kind of precise language needed to do so. Awesome.
2. Superstitions based on spurious correlations - Sometimes, thanks to the scientists' experimental choices, a pattern of white and black stones builds up on the table which all conform to an incorrect hypothesis about the law of nature. This is how real scientists get stuck too. And just like in real science, you get unstuck by finding a counterexample, at which point the scientists undergo a "Paradigm Shift". Paradigm Shifts also happen when new investigators without the usual biases (who can interpret experimental results in a new way) enter the field. For this reason it's said that science proceeds by retirements (the older biased scientists retire and make way for new and differently-biased ones). In Zendo, the same thing happens when somebody who's not even playing walks by the table, glances at the experimental results, and points out a hypothesis that the players missed due to group-think. It makes clear the value of fresh perspective and independent thinking.
3. The value of simple, systematic experimentation-- In Zendo, it helps if scientists do experiments in series, where each experiment differs only slightly from the last. This allows scientists to quickly pinpoint those variables that are important for determining the experimental outcome (white or black stone). Scientists also benefit by minimizing the number of overall variables in each experiment, so as to minimize the chance for spurious correlations as described in point 2 above. These are also essential practices for real scientists.
4. The value of Occam's Razor - Scientists quickly see that their hypotheses should be as simple as possible, because then it's easy to interpret the counterexamples that disprove them. The more parts a hypothesis has, the harder it is to figure out from a counterexample what part is wrong.
That all of these issues arise in a game of Zendo makes it a fantastic simulation real science. It actually feels like science. Even the Eureka moments that come from paradigm shifts have a little of the same wonder-inducing qualities that real paradigm shifts have.
You can make the law of nature as easy or as hard as you want. Playing as the universe, I've made laws which are easy for nine-year olds and I've also stumped Ph.D.s. It's amazing: Zendo can be tuned for the players' skills.
Further: it's not very competitive. There's usually much table-talk, and the scientists usually feel they're collaborating rather than competing. Another good feature.
I alluded earlier to a way in which Zendo fails to mimic real science. Here it is: in real science, the universe doesn't magically construct counterexamples to your hypotheses, nor does it tell when you when your hypotheses are correct. So a real scientist can never be sure that a hypothesis is correct. There might always be a counterexample just around the corner, but you might be too stupid to find it. If there's one thing that frustrates me about science, that's it.
It's a good thing that Zendo doesn't work that way - it's a simulation of the good stuff without the bad stuff, which makes it easier to see what's great about science.
I also can't emphasize enough that the scientific method isn't just for scientists. It's a way to improve life generally. An example from my own life: A few years ago I developed a debilitating health problem which doctors weren't able to diagnose or treat. Left to fend for myself, I was able to relieve the condition by a rigorous application of the scientific method over about 2 years. If it weren't for the scientific method, I might not even be here now. That's how valuable the scientific method is.
Because of all this, if I had a child I would play a lot of Zendo with her. If you have a child, you should too. If you need to throw out the science texts to make time, do it. The facts are fish. Don't give your kid a fish. Teach her how to go fishing.
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John Lopez
United States
Tucson
Arizona
Get off my lawn!
The explanation: Impossible Triangle + TW (my company initials) = my logo.
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While I doubt I will convince people to switch from "has buddha nature" to "fits the experimental results" any time soon, the point is interesting in that the thought processes needed for Zendo *do* mirror those required for scientific inquiry.
If only the universe would hand out green stones.
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Denise Patterson-Monroe
United States
Carmel
Indiana
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Nick, THANK YOU!!!! As a homeschooling mom who already owns this game AND runs a game night for the kids once a month, I'm thrilled to be given this perspective and plan to introduce this game in this manner at our next game night now! Thanks!
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BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK
United States
Bozeman
MT
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Denise wrote: Nick, THANK YOU!!!! As a homeschooling mom who already owns this game AND runs a game night for the kids once a month, I'm thrilled to be given this perspective and plan to introduce this game in this manner at our next game night now! Thanks!
Great! It makes me very happy to read this.
Now that I'm thinking about it, if the designer wanted to do some real good for the world, he could retheme the game, and sell it to schools as as a learning product (one that actually improves education!).
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BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK
United States
Bozeman
MT
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One note:
In order to make the game easy for kids to begin with, do the following:
1. have the universe choose the simplest rule he can think of.
2. at the beginning of the game, describe just a couple of possible rules to the scientists, tell them that the real rule will be one of them, and their job is to figure out which it is. This will give them a direction that they would otherwise have to grope around for.
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Rusty Ballinger
United States
Arcata
California
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Godeke wrote: While I doubt I will convince people to switch from "has buddha nature" to "fits the experimental results" any time soon
I like milomilo122's theme a lot more than the one in the rules.
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Daniel Kearns
United States
Bloomington
Indiana
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I run a molecular genetics lab and I used Zendo to demonstrate the danger of positive results and the power of negative results.
You can create a model that conforms to all current observations and still be proven incorrect on future experimentation. The negative results are conclusively negative.
Ruling out possibilities: the way science should be done.
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Justin Borges
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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Fantastic review!
As a game-playing student teacher I am in the process of collecting information about bringing games into the school, including into the curriculum. How awesome is it that a fun game like Zendo so nicely resembles an important aspect of the Science curriculum.
MANY thanks.
Now to add this to the list 
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Great review! This one inspires me to play it with my friends. If only I could find a cheap source of Icehouse pieces. Oh well, maybe I'll stick to LEGO bricks, of which I have plenty.
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Derek H
South Africa
Durban
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GuyHill wrote: Great review! This one inspires me to play it with my friends. If only I could find a cheap source of Icehouse pieces...
Have you tried the cardboard Icehouse pieces (either DIY or buy)?
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Steve Wood
United States
Stamford
Connecticut
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I was thinking about trying Zendo before, but now I must absolutely play this game.
Thanks!
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Chris Bailey
United States
Broomfield
Colorado
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Fantastic review! It compelled me to tip you some GG
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Carlos Ocaña Salceda
Spain
Madrid
Madrid
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I first knew of this game some two or three years ago and it looked curious to me but then I wasn't prone to spend the money for it. With the present rate of exchange between euro and dollar and your explanation I feel it would be an investment beyond simple entertainment. Ach, molecular biologist professional deformation, I guess.
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origami freak
United States
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kuhrusty wrote: Godeke wrote: While I doubt I will convince people to switch from "has buddha nature" to "fits the experimental results" any time soon I like milomilo122's theme a lot more than the one in the rules.
Me too!
How would you formulate an appropriate expression for a set of beginner cards?
i.e. instead of saying "A koan has the Buddha nature if..." would you say "An experimental result will be white if..." ?
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BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK
United States
Bozeman
MT
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That's basically how I would say it.
I was thinking of getting several additional colors so that the law of nature could have several parts.
"the experimental outcome will be white if ... On the other hand, it will be red if ... On the third hand, the outcome will be white *and* red if ... etc.
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origami freak
United States
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milomilo122 wrote: I was thinking of getting several additional colors so that the law of nature could have several parts.
"the experimental outcome will be white if ... On the other hand, it will be red if ... On the third hand, the outcome will be white *and* red if ... etc.
Hehe. Now we're starting to get into classical genetics, and aspects of codominance and epistasis... ;-)
How about a quantitative genetics version? Polygenic traits? QTL mapping? Oh heck, might as well just go back into the lab and do it for real! :-)
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Kai Price
United States
Monson
Massachusetts
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I will soon be going to India for four weeks to help train people to troubleshoot a complex software product at a new support center there, and I was thinking about bringing Zendo as a teaching tool. Although these Indians are highly educated, in part because their culture values education more than we do in the U.S., their entire educational system is built around rote memorization. In general, Indians are very poor at asking questions and thinking outside the box--skills that are crucial for technical support.
But I do have some concerns about whether the mild Buddhist references in the game could offend either Buddhists or non-Buddhists in India.
Perhaps I should change the language of the game too. One player could be the customer with a problem. The problem is an unexplained result, represented a pattern of pyramids. The other players could be the technical support engineers. They could propose different ways to try to reproduce the problem, and the customer could indicate whether the proposed state reproduced the problem or not, with white or black stones. And they could also try to guess at the root cause....
Uh... Not quite right. Still needs work. Anyone want to try and help me out here?
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BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK
United States
Bozeman
MT
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subversive wrote:
Uh... Not quite right. Still needs work. Anyone want to try and help me out here?
Since the icehouse pieces are thematically neutral, you don't need to make any reference to Buddhism or whatever. You can just describe it as I have, as an exercise in the scientific method, or any other way that you want.
Also, you don't need icehouse pieces. The easiest thing to do is use use sentences on a whiteboard or a sheet of paper. I actually enjoy the game more this way. It's way less fiddly and there's much more room for different laws of nature. And who wants to lug icehouse pieces to India?
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Russ Williams
Poland
Wrocław
Dolny Śląsk
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BTW: I recently found another (rather different!) educational use for Zendo. I teach English as a foreign language, and I played Zendo with some students. Language teaching often doesn't focus on expressing very logically precise concepts like Zendo koan rules, so this was a fun game-playing way for the students to clearly express things very clearly, e.g. carefully saying something like "there is exactly 1 red piece and at least 2 blue pieces" instead of something easier but more ambiguous like "there's 1 red piece and 2 blue pieces".
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Justus Pang
United States
Houston
Texas
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Thanks! I am gonna get a copy of this game before I visit my parents and I think they would really dig the game except for the fact that they are very conservative christians who could be turned off by the buddhist theme. I'll phrase it in the "retheme" you have here!
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Posted Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:13 pm
