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Old 05-24-2011, 08:25 AM   #18
Chuck Clark
 
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Dojo: Jiyushinkan
Location: Monroe, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2000
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Re: Mastery: The Four States in the Learning Process

In order to really discuss this there needs to be a working definition of what "mastery" is. I know some who have achieved mastery. It's easy to see... Itzhac Perlman, Pablo Casals, Eric Clapton, and Doc Watson for example. These are all musicians, of course, and it's pretty easy to recognize a master of music. They're not just good, really really good... they're great and have mastered their medium. Isao Okano, a master judoka, Nishoka Tsuneo, a master of Shinto Muso Ryu. These are true masters of forms of Japanese Bujutsu/Budo. Again, if you are familiar with the subject it's easy to recognize mastery.

A good reference is: "The Cambridge Handbook Of Expertise and Expert Performance." I'd like to see what laymen think "mastery" is. Anybody want to make up a definition?

This is a typical dictionary entry:
mastery |ˈmast(ə)rē|
noun
1 comprehensive knowledge or skill in a subject or accomplishment : she played with some mastery.
• the action or process of mastering a subject or accomplishment : a child's mastery of language.
2 control or superiority over someone or something : man's mastery over nature.
ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French maistrie, from maistre ‘master.’

Somehow, this doesn't seem like enough if you've been around many people that have achieved mastery to me.

For me, trying to define it always ends in more poetry than scientific language.

Best Regards,

Chuck Clark
Jiyushinkai Aikibudo
www.jiyushinkai.org
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