[...], studying by rote

Thanks Frank. Your topics, as always never banal, give me the possibility to associate myself with the reflection on studying by memory recommended by Umberto Eco. In my case, I use memory to learn a musical piece; in this way, I always carry the entire score with me, and I make my brain do active "gymnastics".

....prevention for dementia at least for me

I am firmly convinced that we are our memory, which is why I think diseases like Alzheimer's are truly a disaster. The paradox is that the patient is unaware and those around them are relating to an empty "box."

Surely memory is the most important thing to train, whether through music or something else

Frank wrote:

Great reflection by Umberto Eco:

"Dear nephew, study by heart"

http://espresso.repubblica.it/visioni/2014/01/03/news/umberto-eco-caro-nipote-studia-a-memoria-1.147715

[...]

"Your other friends, who will not have cultivated their memory, will instead have lived only one life, theirs, which should have been very melancholy and poor in great emotions.

Cultivate memory, therefore, and from tomorrow learn by heart"

It is just a pity that he did not exhort to train the capacity for judgment as well...

...that which, especially in this era to which he refers, is greatly lacking.

Today in schools, teaching notions would be increasingly less useful; it is increasingly urgent to educate towards humanity and judgment. Instead, unfortunately, the opposite often happens, and one doesn't even know who Maestro Perboni is (was) anymore - and perhaps not due to poor memory ...

Why not Bianca, propose one of your own letters: "Dear nephew, train your capacity for judgment"

I would read it very gladly

I still have a little way to go... for my grandson

...consider Bianca that these letters are also fine for the children (and I would say for adults), so they are more than welcome ... even if premature