#mental-model #philosophy #rationality #epistemology #knowledge # [[Epistemic status]] #shower-thought # Compound Knowledge <iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6gi0KMJrov0EShi2sf2BRy?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture"></iframe> ![[Pasted image 20220618151614.png]] >The root vs. the branches. — What we are after is the ROOT and not the branches. The root is the real knowledge; the branches are surface knowledge. Real knowledge breeds “body feel” and personal expression; surface knowledge breeds mechanical conditioning and imposing limitation and squelches creativity. >~ [[Bruce Lee]] Compound **knowledge** is [[Philosophy/Epistemology/Knowledge|knowledge]] that generalise. Despite I believe [[The value of metaphysical statements|metaphysical knowledge can have some value]], [[Science|scientific]] knowledge seems to compound better because it is easier to iterate on top of scientific theories, to develop new knowledge from the shoulders of giants. >The most valuable knowledge is always discovered last: but the most valuable knowledge consists of methods. ~ [[Nietzsche]] By last, I think he meant, [[Philosophy/Epistemology/Knowledge|knowledge]] that lie on top of the stack. >Levels of explanation work together like layers in a cake. **It is impossible to get the cake’s full flavour by ignoring the top layers and just sticking to the base**. >~ [[Chiara Marletto]] ![[DALL·E 2022-07-11 22.24.44 - a huge pile of books overflowing in all directions, painting by Van Gogh.png]] One very important heuristic in modern society is **compound knowledge**, if you spend your time learning narrow and volatile knowledge, how to use Wordpress, how to use X tool, you will end up knowing nothing. Learn the fundamentals, [[Philosophy]], [[Mathematic]], [[Physic]], [[Biology]], [[Game Theory]], [[Trade]], [[Computing]]. >Skills that transfer: street fights, off-path hiking, seduction, broad erudition. Skills that don't: school, games, sports, laboratory - what's reduced and organized ~ [[Nassim Taleb]] ![[DALL·E 2022-07-26 21.34.29.png]] >All the returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest ~ [[Naval Ravikant]] Compound knowledge even make sense at the [[Brain|hardware]] level >However, if you are not trained in mathematics, then equations and other mathematical notations will appear as meaningless scribbles. You may even recognize an equation as one you have seen before, but **without a reference frame, you will have no idea how to manipulate it to solve a problem**. You can be lost in math space, in the same way you can be lost in the woods without a map. >~ [[Jeff Hawkins]] Your brain need the fundamental reference frames to build stacking ones (ex: understand algorithms before understanding [[Programming|programming]]) ![[DALL·E 2022-07-11 22.29.45 - a pyramid of human brains, digital art by Escher.png]] ## the least fundamental, the more likely affected by statistical error Humans do a lot more statistical errors in [[Philosophy/Psychology/Psychology|psychology]] or [[Biology/Health/Health]] than [[Physic|Physics]] We deal so badly with statistics, it's not intuitive So the problem is that if you [[Relying on authority is time-saving|rely on authority]], you are very likely building wrong [[Belief|belief]]s ![[DALL·E 2022-07-29 21.21.09 - Einstein lost in a mathematical paradox, painting by Picasso.png]] # External links https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fg9fXrHpeaDD6pEPL/truly-part-of-you