Every Step in the Process Must be Knowledge-Based Value Creation

System

Every Step in the Process Must be Knowledge-Based Value Creation

Does the Zettelkasten feel like extra work? This doesn't have to be so.

Read the full story here

Nido

My desired output is written inferences.

Inferences can be causal or logical.

I know that I have done valuable work when I have extracted from texts I've read, or created from my own thinking, causal inferences, in which causes are linked to their effects, or logical inferences, in which premises are linked to their conclusions.

So, method 1 is better than method 2 if, when employing it, I write more inferences per unit time.

do_the_thing

Can you give an example of "link contexts" / precise link descriptions?

Sascha

Theory Y includes contradicting position that assumes the premise of this argument false. So, this thesis depends on theory Y being false. For a detailed description see here: [[202301190201]] Reminder: Make sure to adress this when you draw conclusions from this thesis.

ctietze

@do_the_thing Also check out the explanation and example here: https://zettelkasten.de/introduction/#connecting-zettel

ZettelDistraction

"Every step in the process must be knowledge-based value creation" is so high an ideal that the thought of adhering to it brings to mind this quote:

It is indeed a deplorable sight, a deplorable example, for the people, who so need to be encouraged, in their bitter toil, and to have before their eyes manifestations of strength only, of courage and joy, without which they might collapse, at the end of the day, and roll on the ground.
― Samuel Beckett, Molloy

Meaning that if I had to adhere to it, I would collapse and roll on the ground.

GeoEng51

@ZettelDistraction said:
Meaning that if I had to adhere to it, I would collapse and roll on the ground.

Yes; so would I. I prefer to enjoy the journey. Having a goal is a lot different than insisting on reaching perfection.

lllist

There is no must in curiosity, discovery, and creativity. Not for me, anyway.

zosimawormphd

Great content thank you. How would you scale this for time sensitive learning—I.e., I have a paper due soon and I need to digest a handful of books and write a well reasoned essay

harr

@System said:
knowledge-based value creation

I find this term too abstract to be useful. How do you determine the value of knowledge? How do you know, that a step actually creates knowledge?

For example, rewriting can decrease knowledge, when it misrepresents the original source or disconnects a thought from relevant context. I strongly dislike academic texts that rely on paraphrases, because fact-checking becomes so much more difficult. And often enough, paraphrases turn out to be factually wrong.

I find paraphrasing useful for learning. It's a form of self-test: do I understand the idea well enough, so that I can rewrite it in my own words? I'm following Luhmann's advice (machine translation): “Important: attempt your own formulations. This requires a strict separation of your own and others’ ideas. Critical referencing is simultaneously your own intellectual work, is simultaneously a learning process, is simultaneously a honing of your own language.”

But I also like to keep extensive quotations of the original text in my digital notes. It costs little, but it's very useful when I revisit my notes later.

Instead of managing knowledge you’ll create knowledge. This is not only both more efficient and effective. It is also way more rewarding psychologically.

False dilemma? In my experience you can't separate the two. Managing knowledge is the foundation, that creation builds on. Other persons' ideas are the context, that your own ideas connect to.

A good implementation of the Zettelkasten Method is lean.

Do you mean good as a normative proposition? You seem to have strong convictions, what makes a good Zettelkasten or a bad note.

I prefer a more pragmatic approach to sell the Zettelkasten method. What kind of real-life note-making problems does a lean Zettelkasten solve better than other methods?