That’s right I’m stupid, I must be cos I learn something new and significant every day.
And I’m not talking about some API detail or some new framework I mean I’m changing my thinking, I’m changing me, I’m seeing a bigger picture. I want topsight[1], not nitty gritty detail. Detail is easy to cope with if you can see the higher view, how things fit and interact.
If I were clever, there’d be nothing more to learn and I’d have answers to all questions. Knowledge is all very fine but it comes through learning and that comes through experiencing things and that’s what makes you smarter. Having a big brain isn’t enough.
[1] Topsight - a term used by Gelernter in MirrorWorlds, meaning the ability to view the whole system rather than small details.
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May 21st, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Did you have a small epiphany of sorts? An epiphany about epiphanies?
Epiphanies are great. Some make it clean through to consciousness and endure, some are partial or only last long enough to persuade us that something bigger exists and should be pursued, simultaneously enthusing and engaging us yet leaving us feeling frustrated with the knowledge that Another Level’ and Greater Things lie just slightly out of reach, beyond our conscious grasp.
You can’t flick these switches. They flick you when they’re good and ready.
Do we need a new buzzword for this concept you talk of? I would have called it insight.
“penetration: clear or deep perception of a situation”
“the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation”
“grasping the inner nature of things intuitively”
After reading a review of the book you mention I’m of the belief that it’s a good insight precursor. I’m ordering a copy!
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:06 am
James said:
“Do we need a new buzzword for this concept you talk of? I would have called it insight.”
Maybe, there’s probably lots of terms we use for this (and these terms are pretty broad and likely used for a collection of things) including “flash of inspiration” perhaps?
My martial arts teacher often says: “always be a beginner” which essentially is about understanding how far you’ve come, that there’s always further to go and ensuring you never settle. For example: when I feel myself about to label someone naive I will first ask myself “do they know something that I don’t?” Thus I routinely guard myself from thinking I’m smart.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Dan said: “I routinely guard myself from thinking I’m smart”
As an dyed-in-the-wool skeptic I think this way naturally.
I would say that there’s no harm in accepting people as relative ‘naifs’, it’s not necessarily a perjorative term, merely descriptive. ‘Out of the mouths of babes’ is an expression that encapsulates some of the subjective gains we can expect from the people that we regard as less experienced or knowledgable.
I try not to dismiss opinions from anybody without due thought, whatever their attributes. Unfortunately there isn’t enough time in the world to do it all the time, and judgement calls about possible depth and ultimate worth must be made, probably miscarriages of justice in some cases.
Pick any man from the street and he’ll beat you at something.
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:09 am
James said:
“‘Out of the mouths of babes’”
Interesting - I have another interpretation which is that sometimes adults/more experienced people will shy away from confronting a particular truth. Kids and the less experienced often don’t shy away and will be very direct in stating the truth.
“I try not to dismiss opinions from anybody without due thought, whatever their attributes. Unfortunately there isn’t enough time in the world to do it all the time, and judgement calls about possible depth and ultimate worth must be made, probably miscarriages of justice in some cases.”
Indeed - one needs a tie-breaker for any discussion so that when it doesn’t make progress someone stands up and says “all things considered, this is where we’re gonna go” and accepts the responsibility for the decision. Such a tie-breaker is also going to force closure of discussion to suit a timeframe. The key again is to check at some point in the future that the resulting decision was a good one. Measure, measure, measure.
And part of that measurement might also result in something like “jeez, that other person turned out to be right - perhaps they know some stuff I don’t and I need to learn”.