Obsidian Zettelkasten

Meta
#64

@minhthanh3145 its already being done to a degree. Under mental models I put

“10e4b - Understanding Models
10e4c - When to use a Model
10e4d - What models are worth Internalizing”

Which is my way of a to do list.

Some of the books I listed under that note are attempts at doing so

Not sure if they are as extensive though. For example, some of them don’t really cover much the scenarios you’d want to use them in.

1 Like
#65

Excellent set of notes about zettelkasten. Thank you.

2 Likes
#66

65 - Obsidian Enhancements are the different layers of structure that have already been added and suggested. The base layer for Obsidian is the markdown file. On top of that you have:

  • File Explorer
  • Star Menu
  • Search
  • Graph View
  • Quick Switcher
  • Backlinks
  • Tags Pane
  • Today’s Note
  • Zettelkasten Note
  • Preview Mode
  • Custom CSS

Then you have unofficial enhancements, with my favorite being andy mode.

When thinking about the different native features and plugins, it helps to define the problem you are trying to solve and look at it through the lens of the core note functions.

My current slate of suggestions are:

#todo sort out the quality of life improvements above vs. the functionality improvements.

#67

66 - Layers of Structure are restrictions you place upon your workflow or tools that add order, which in turn creates repeatability. Repeatability is important for effective note taking because it allows for a greater amount of applicability per note. This is the same idea behind creating connections between notes and keeping notes atomic.

Once you get a sufficient amount of layers of structure together then they make up a workflow or system such as zettelkasten, PARA, or IMF.

Same applies to tools such as Obsidian, see 15 - Obsidian Enhancements. You start off by writing on wood and work your way up to complex mediums such as books with developed finding devices.

16b - Layers of Structure in a Wiki

How do you use UIDs?
#68

68 - Knowledge Work is the creation, manipulation, and expression of knowledge. Usually it is done with the aim of a solving a problem using cognitive skills. The creation of knowledge can take the form of the remixing ideas (e.g. new music, lateral thinking with withered technology), cutting edge research, and new perspectives. Expression of knowledge can be a teacher explaining concepts to students, a presentation at work, or a doctor giving you a diagnosis.

Knowledge Work is important because it is becoming an ever valuable form of work, especially if you can excel at it. In Cal Newport’s book on skills he puts forth the idea that you can become very successful by learning how to improve in knowledge work because so many suck at doing so. The reason being because the path to improvement isn’t as clearly defined as it is with areas such as sports or more traditional work.

17c - Manipulation of Knowledge
17d - Expression of knowledge
17e - Improving Knowledge Work
17f - Cognitive Skills

Future of Work

Creation of Knowledge

High Yield Knowledge Work

Knowledge Work Feedback Loop

#69

68 - Future of Work - as science advances and we find new ways to streamline or automate tasks, being able to work with knowledge becomes increasingly important. Because of this it is important to develop skills around knowledge work.

Where I think this might be wrong is if society fails to live up the challenges presented to us and the social order starts to deteriorate. In my paper zettelkasten I have notes comparing the decline of the Roman Empire to modern times. In this scenario, skills related to everyday living becomes more and more important. This is the everyday work that is less abstracted (farming, resource collection, supply chain management, politics, etc). Note - If I wasn’t optimistic and hopeful than I wouldn’t be writing this zettelkasten.

1 Like
#70

WOW, this is a splendid work, congratulations! @lizardmenfromspace

I can foresee a book in the near future and we are so lucky to read it in this birthing stage.:+1:

2 Likes
#71

70 - Future Skills and Abilities - Professionals of the future need to adopt more flexibility in how they work.

This means meeting people where they are at, engaging with them over social media or other more preferable platforms (Susskind 2015, pg 106). Imagine being able to instant message your doctor.

Future professionals will need to be able to take advantage of the increase and availability of data to come to insights. This involves both the collection and analyzing of data. Either the professionals themselves will work directly with the data or use a middle man that understands both the data and industry (Susskind 2015, pg 107). They will also need to get better at working with new and emerging technology. Those who can effective work alongside machines will see an increase in efficiency and effectiveness (e.g. Advanced Chess).

The final need is for workers to widen their tool set, either through the effective use of technology or introducing a multi-disciplinary approach (Susskind 2015, 108-109). Imagine a “self-help coach” but who has extensive training, such that they work with doctors and psychologists. Taking a more holistic approach to fixing oneself.

#72

71 - Future Roles In the book The Future of the Professions: How Technology Will Transform the Work of Human Experts, author Richard Susskind lays out 12 different roles that will emerge from a “post-professional society”:

  • Craftspeople - people who “craft” stuff that require a difficult skill set, such that they can’t be easily replaced by para-professionals or crowd sourced.
  • Assistants - people who aren’t experts but help out the above mentioned craftspeople (e.g. associates in law firms).
  • Para-professionals - will take over the spot of experts with the help of ever increasingly competent systems and tools.
  • Empathizers - people with extremely good people skills, which will always be important because we have a sociality that is ingrained in our evolutionary biology. Machines will fill the gap, but people who can afford the help of other people will prefer doing so.
  • R&D Workers - research and development will always be desired for the creation of new technology that can allow for a greater reach of solutions or make them more effective.
  • Knowledge Engineers - people who will be designing systems that draw on the sources of existing expertise to disseminate knowledge to the wider public and para-professionals. Early examples may be wikipedia or thoughtCo.
  • Process Analysts - will be the ones deconstructing the work of experts to create the systems and tools used by the above mentioned para-professionals.
  • Moderators - people with deep insight who will help guide the centralization of expertise knowledge either from the masses or a pool of experts. Essentially making sure the quality of “the body of knowledge” stays high.
  • Designers - People who think up and design the various systems described above. If a service or system isn’t well made then people aren’t going to want to use it. You see this with the high salary and importance of UX designers.
  • System Providers - people who are actually providing the systems that the knowledge base is built on, whether it be a foundation (e.g. Wikipedia) or a private company (e.g. Quora).
  • Data Scientists - pretty straight forward field. People who are able to work with big data and come to insights. Two of my data related products are pudding.cool and quid.
  • Systems Engineers - are the people creating our dumb machine helpers (AI, Big Data Systems, etc) or AI overlords
#73

72 - Future Industries - Alec Ross, in his 2016 book Industries of the Future lays out five trends that will shape the future: Robotics, Advanced Life Sciences, Code-ification of Money, Cyber Security, and Big Data. - Source.

Note on the source - I actually own this book and took notes on it. But because I suck and didn’t have a zettelkasten at the time, I have no clue where those notes actually are. One of the helpful layers of structure of the zettelkasten is the centralization of notes.

A good question is how well his argument still holds up 4 years later? Something to think about.

Further planned Research:

  • The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives - 2020
  • The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future - 2017
  • Humans Are Underrated: What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will - 2016
  • Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future - 2016
  • The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant - 2016
  • Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation - 2013
#74

73 - Knowledge is information that has been memorized and integrated into an existing model whether you are consciously aware of the model or not.

When thinking about knowledge it is important to understand how to work with it and what information is worth turning into knowledge.

18d - Procedural Knowledge is used to carry out tasks and is supported by both your specialized and general knowledge.

#todo

#75

74 - Creation of Knowledge - There are two different ways I think about the creation of knowledge, a private and public way.

The first is the private creation of knowledge, which is essentially learning. It means taking information and going through the memory process, which turns it into knowledge. This can be done on a shallow level, which is necessary but not sufficient (spin off into 17b1 #todo). In contrast, when done correctly, you are going one step further and structure building with the information.

The second way is the public creation of knowledge, which encompasses cutting edge research and the remixing/rethinking of ideas. The remixing of ideas can take the form of synthesizing existing knowledge (e.g. Ryan Holiday’s Notebox, Mark Manson, etc - what I’d call the remix genre) or reformulation of existing knowledge. The later is typically done in educational settings, with articles and blog posts.

Creation of knowledge is on of the pillars that cognitive skills (17f) are geared towards (e.g. critical, creative, and three dimensional thinking - 10e5).

#76

75 - The Knowledge Cycle is the process by which you taking in new knowledge and let it interact with your existing knowledge base in order to create new knowledge.

option C
option C1323×1381 192 KB

The dark circles represent the new knowledge you come across through reading a broad selection of books (or exposing yourself to a broad set of information). You then let it interacts with your prior knowledge (red arrow of expertise, 18c) to help you come up with new ideas and solve novel problems. See lateral thinking #todo

The transparency of the circles reflects the idea that you dive into various ideas at different levels. Sometimes you may go deep in learning a concept, other times you’ll stick to just getting a surface level understanding.

#77

76 - Prior Knowledge is the information you have personally turned into knowledge through a lifetime of learning. It is the knowledge you use for creative problem solving with the knowledge cycle. There are two paths of acquisition for prior knowledge, represented below by A and B.

Specialized vs General
Specialized vs General2388×1668 369 KB

This web represents the body of knowledge out there.

The first pathway A involves specializing, working your way towards the edge of the current body of knowledge before working on expanding it (research, theorizing, etc).

The second pathway B is the process of starting from the basics in every area of knowledge and slowly expanding your knowledge base. This is essentially what a generalist would do. This is what Farnam Street calls “most useful knowledge is a broad-based multidisciplinary education of the basics”. It is the approach you take until you get to college and start to specialize.

Prior Knowledge in Public Information

#78

What a valuable and thought-provoking piece of work you’re offering. Too much to take in all at once, but then that is a good thing. Thanks for your time and your careful thought.

3 Likes
#79

78 - Cognition - is the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses (Oxford Dictionary).

Create Note on Sensory Experience

#80

79 - Cognitive Skills - An important part of thriving in the economy is having an understanding of cognition and the important skills that underly it. Having a solid understanding of the cognitive skills will help you improve in how you work with existing knowledge and generate new knowledge

#81

80 - Attention Abilities - Improving your ability to pay attention helps with knowledge work because it allows you to focus for a longer period of time. Which is necessary for the deep work that is most valuable. One way to improve your attention is through memorizing a deck of cards using a memory palace technique (Newport 2016, pg 97). This comes from the study of memory champions and looking into if they have improved memory over the average person. Turns out that they do not and a large part of their success comes down to their superb attention abilities.

#82

81 - Forming Knowledge - To work with knowledge, you first must form information in your mind . While this may seem quite obvious to you, there are good and bad ways of doing this. Improving this skill will help you learn quicker and form a more useful understanding of the world.

You want to avoid rote memorization, going for precision memorization (19d2a) instead. Then you want to organize the memorized information into a useful working mental model.

See also 17b - Creation of Knowledge

19d2a - Precision Memorization #todo

#83

82 - Durable Memories - The knowledge you are forming and working with (17c) is stored in your brain as memories. You can learn more effectively by making sure information is well encoded while learning with the use of effortful processing strategies.

  • 19d3a - Effortful Processing Strategies #todo