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Notes and Ideas

Will Simpson

Notes contain ideas and linking notes together puts ideas in proximity to each other. Then magic happens,

Writing it at first
is difficult:
that is,
putting the mind on it takes the ear off it 

John Cage (1961): _Silence: lectures and writings_

Take notes while reading is often heard as the advice for 'remembering' what you've read. 'Remembering' is a poor substitute for what can be gained by taking note-taking to this next level. Like many things in life, what comes after taking notes is nuanced.

Note-taking requires only two things

  1. Something to write with
  2. Ideas worth capturing (This is where you should put your focus.)

Creating novel ideas and connecting them requires linking ideas/notes and following the path thees links create.

I find it easiest to electronically record my notes using an app called The Archive. https://zettelkasten.de/the-archive/

I use a method that favors one idea per note. In this way each note is exploded into a stand along idea which can be connected via a link to any other ideas. These ideas are free to be connected not in a silo. Really connecting ideas only takes two or more ideas. Notes are just proxies for ideas. Having one idea per note and many notes is the way to maximize serendipitous connection and idea reuse. The more notes (individual ideas) the more opportunity for fresh novel interconnections. A link can be made from one book or topic to another book. In this way connects can be seen between seeming unrelated topics. Suddenly you can see new interesting connections.

The best advice I've seen for one idea per note is:

... atomizing (decontextualizing) knowledge to individual elements (nodes) by subjective processing (adding or selecting personal meaning, rejecting personally non-relevant contextual information etc.) [^3]

Paul-Michel Foucault, a French philosopher, historian of ideas, social theorist, and literary critic stressed the connection between this activity and "care of the self." Equating the care of the self with integrating ideas in the path of life.

Primarily to externalize the [individual ideas recorded on notes] and associate them in novel and serendipitous ways. [^2]

The real potential of a digital organizational system is to be a tool for capturing and systematically reminding you of past ideas, inspirations, insights, and connections. The heart of creativity and innovation is making spontaneous connections between seemingly unrelated things, ... [^4]

This is a fun creative way to lace together notes for the books read into larger unique ideas.