Does Cubing Help Your Brain?

[brian724080]

if you practice stuff that IQ test tests, then you will get better at IQ tests.

Haha, exactly. IQ tests are just recognizing and completing patterns

 

[Seanliu]

I noticed the same thing, when I first picked up the cube I struggled 1,5 day learning 5 algortihm to solve the cube. Now depending on wether I find it flowing or not, I sometimes just have to repeat them 10 times. (When I'm in the mood of learning them only)

Exactly. Just to prove my point, I went to Alg.Db and learnt Gb perm in 10 mins. Otherwise, that alg would have normally took me 1 hour. 1/6 the time from when I was 25 sec.

 

[StachuK1992]

No. And this is a fact.

Being appy doesn't mean you win. Being better than your opponent(s) is what makes you win. That's the definition of winning...

I think the issue is that you're (understandably) misinterpreting my view of 'winning'.

I think the most ultimate form of 'winning' is being happy. That's what your end goal is here.

'Winning' some competition (and I don't mean cubing, specifically) may be a contributing factor to your overall happiness, but it's the happiness or unhappiness that comes after an event that matters.



I've competed (again, speaking very generically) at many things.

Sometimes I 'lose' and I'm happy, because I've learned something.
I've had failed interviews that I've learned from.
I've tried to lift more than I could handle, and it makes me happy to know that I've at least tried.

Sometimes I 'win' the competition and I'm sad.
Maybe I cheated.
Maybe I realize that it would have made the other person happier to have won, and I lowered the utilitarian's view of the situation.
Maybe I could have done better, and am currently scorning myself.

'Winning' may help you be happy, but the end goal is happy.
Whether you're solving Rubik's Cubes, having sex, doing charity work, etc., you do it all because it makes you happy.
There may be intermediate emotions (pride, for example), but I believe happiness to be the hopeful end result.

[That said, if killing babies makes me happy and there's no downside from my perspective, of course that's what I'm going to do.]