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Richard James has reviewed


Improve Your Life by Playing a Game

by WGM Jana Krivec from Thinker's Publishing

Jana Krivec graduated from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Ljubljana in 2004, where she successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Cognitive Information Processing: the Case of Chess” in 2011.

Isn't there a thread somewhere about chess-related academic theses?

Ah, a bad review finally!

I was intrigued by,

"Chapter 6, Theories and Studies on Benefits of Chess’, moves into rather different territory. We learn about chess and education, and about chess and health problems, though I for one would raise a very strong objection to describing ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder as health problems."

Does this mean, "ADHD and ASD are imaginary"? (or something else?)

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:01 pm

Ah, a bad review finally!

Did you mean that the review was "bad" or something else?

No, rather that this review is the first in a while that says "we don't recommend this" (though maybe I am misremembering)

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:39 pm

I was intrigued by,

"Chapter 6, Theories and Studies on Benefits of Chess’, moves into rather different territory. We learn about chess and education, and about chess and health problems, though I for one would raise a very strong objection to describing ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder as health problems."

Does this mean, "ADHD and ASD are imaginary"? (or something else?)

It's rather like describing homosexuality and left-handedness as "health problems", isn't it? None of these things are illnesses which can be "cured", although all have been regarded as such within the last 100 years and some people still so regard at least one of them.

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 17, 2021 11:53 am

Jana Krivec graduated from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Ljubljana in 2004, where she successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Cognitive Information Processing: the Case of Chess” in 2011.

Isn't there a thread somewhere about chess-related academic theses?

I trust you saw I mentioned you in the review, Justin. Thanks for your (unwitting) help.

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 17, 2021 6:03 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:39 pm

I was intrigued by,

"Chapter 6, Theories and Studies on Benefits of Chess’, moves into rather different territory. We learn about chess and education, and about chess and health problems, though I for one would raise a very strong objection to describing ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder as health problems."

Does this mean, "ADHD and ASD are imaginary"? (or something else?)

It's rather like describing homosexuality and left-handedness as "health problems", isn't it? None of these things are illnesses which can be "cured", although all have been regarded as such within the last 100 years and some people so regard at least one of them.

Indeed. They're certainly not imaginary (and I have written elsewhere about chess in relation to both conditions), but neither are they either physical or mental health problems.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 17, 2021 6:03 pm

No, rather that this review is the first in a while that says "we don't recommend this" (though maybe I am misremembering)

I will confess to being fairly selective in the publishers chosen to review.

There are publishers whose bar is, on average, low. There are titles appearing as ebook offerings only that are truly dreadful. There are titles which are blatant thefts of out-of-print titles with no credit whatsoever to the books stolen from. Edward Winter has identified many of these.

Dealing only with highly respected publishers does have drawbacks but not that many!

Even for the top publishers one will occasionally "slip through the net".

"It's rather like describing homosexuality and left-handedness as "health problems", isn't it? None of these things are illnesses which can be "cured", although all have been regarded as such within the last 100 years and some people so regard at least one of them.

Indeed. They're certainly not imaginary (and I have written elsewhere about chess in relation to both conditions), but neither are they either physical or mental health problems."

Thanks both - yes I did wonder if that's what you meant. An uncle of mine was caned for writing left-handedly at school, so he soon learnt to only do it when teachers weren't looking. You could argue that didn't help his health... Severe autism and ADHD are problems, and ADHD is often treated with strong drugs, so some people clearly think it is medical. (Or maybe it's more convenient for others...)