Conversations

Imagine a world where baseball is a subject taught in school. Just one thing is missing from this imaginary curriculum: the students never actually get to play the game. In September, they open their textbooks and read about the origins and rules of baseball. After winter break they take tests on pitching and hitting records set by the greatest players. By the spring, classes delve into the nuances of base stealing and bunting. So what if they never swing a bat themselves or catch a line drive, right? It’s not like any of them are going to become professional ballplayers, right? To Dean Kamen, this scenario is no more absurd than the way math and science have been taught traditionally.