Overall theme: Improving my language skills. My hypothesis is that language is the closest we have to a (lossy) codec for thought. By becoming more cognizant of higher-level concepts and the differences between them, we can reason more effectively and improve our thought and communication processes.
2. Continue refining the precision of my vocabulary and my understanding of the etymology of words. I've realized that I only have a fuzzy grasp of many of the words I use on an everyday basis, yet by becoming more aware of the nuances and subtleties of the usage, origin, and connotations of different terms, I will be able to express myself more accurately and also perhaps better be able to read between the lines of what others say and write.
For example, consider the following definitions:
Compound: composed of two or more separate elements; a mixture.
Complex: consisting of many different and connected parts.
Consequently, a set of buildings which share the same property but are unconnected (for example a mobile home community, or standalone military barracks buildings) should be referred to as a compound. In contrast, if the structure has bridges between the different parts, it should be called a complex.
Also consider:
Sophisticated: (of a machine, system, or technique) developed to a high degree of complexity.
Complicated: consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements, often involving many different and confusing aspects
(from Latin complicat- "folded together", from the verb complicare, from com- "together" + plicare "to fold")
An automobile is a very complex machine, since it consists of thousands of parts and systems. To a mechanic, it might be complicated (as reflected by manuals which are hundreds or thousands of pages long and hours of frustration), while to a user it is sophisticated - capable of doing many things, and yet still easy to use, since the complexity is abstracted away.
These 4 words are seemingly very closely related, yet through careful word selection, we can use them to communicate very different ideas and emotions.
1. Get back into the habit of writing and reviewing evergreen notes (https://notes.andymatuschak.org/Evergreen_notes, An Executable Strategy for Writing: https://notes.andymatuschak.org/z3PBVkZ2SvsAgFXkjHsycBeyS6Cw...) and refining my Zettelkasten knowledgebase and perhaps making it publicly available at some point.
2. Continue refining the precision of my vocabulary and my understanding of the etymology of words. I've realized that I only have a fuzzy grasp of many of the words I use on an everyday basis, yet by becoming more aware of the nuances and subtleties of the usage, origin, and connotations of different terms, I will be able to express myself more accurately and also perhaps better be able to read between the lines of what others say and write.
For example, consider the following definitions:
Compound: composed of two or more separate elements; a mixture.
Complex: consisting of many different and connected parts.
Consequently, a set of buildings which share the same property but are unconnected (for example a mobile home community, or standalone military barracks buildings) should be referred to as a compound. In contrast, if the structure has bridges between the different parts, it should be called a complex.
Also consider:
Sophisticated: (of a machine, system, or technique) developed to a high degree of complexity.
Complicated: consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements, often involving many different and confusing aspects
(from Latin complicat- "folded together", from the verb complicare, from com- "together" + plicare "to fold")
An automobile is a very complex machine, since it consists of thousands of parts and systems. To a mechanic, it might be complicated (as reflected by manuals which are hundreds or thousands of pages long and hours of frustration), while to a user it is sophisticated - capable of doing many things, and yet still easy to use, since the complexity is abstracted away.
These 4 words are seemingly very closely related, yet through careful word selection, we can use them to communicate very different ideas and emotions.