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Proposed quantitative definition of skill

Posted By: Timothy Chow
Date: Tuesday, 19 June 2012, at 11:35 p.m.

In Response To: Proposed quantitative definition of skill (Bob Koca)

Bob Koca wrote:

"If it's easy to jump up to the highest skill level, then typically the population will quickly stabilize to the 'no-skill' state"

That doesn't seem to be the case for math students and the game of NIM. You seem to be making an assumption that the members of the population have a desire to be good at the game. Is that true for say the population of ABT players?

I'm not sure what you're saying. Are you saying that it's easy for math students to jump up to the highest skill level, but nevertheless the population doesn't stabilize to "no skill"? Surely not. Surely math students have trouble learning Nim, which is why the population doesn't stabilize.

It sounds to me that you're the one making the assumption about motivation. When I say "easy," I don't mean "easy in principle if you're sufficiently motivated and smart." I mean EASY. As in everybody does it. If people don't all jump to the highest level then it's not really that easy for everybody. So you get a spread of abilities. And there is therefore skill involved. Motivation is part of skill, of course.

How would one actually go about writing down the MPT for the whole population?

This is roughly the same problem as assigning Elo ratings to everyone. Difficult in backgammon, to be sure, but not hopelessly difficult IMO.

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