Conscious Culture 58: The Art and Science of Abstract Thinking
Jan 19, 2022 11:49 pm
The Art and Science of Abstract Thinking
Welcome to Conscious Culture, a weekly newsletter full of interesting reads for curious, intelligent people who want to sharpen their minds
Hi everyone,
You're awesome.
Thanks for being here.
We're talking about:
- Inert knowledge
- Feeling rational
- Abstract thinking
- Beauty and privilege
Feel free to hit reply and let me know what you think.
Interesting Reads
Inert Knowledge: The Problem of Knowing Without Understanding
“Inert knowledge is information that a person knows but doesn’t fully understand, which means that they can only recognize, express, or use it in very limited ways.”
“Rationality begins by asking how-the-world-is, but spreads virally to any other thought which depends on how we think the world is. Your beliefs about “how-the-world-is” can concern anything you think is out there in reality, anything that either does or does not exist, any member of the class “things that can make other things happen.”
The Art and Science of Abstract Thinking
“Abstract thinking is essential in order to solve complex problems, come up with innovative ideas, and collaborate with other people. It allows us to analyze situations, understand new concepts, formulate theories, and to put things in perspective.”
The Greatest Privilege We Never Talk About: Beauty
“Attractive people are more likely to be seen as competent and be hired for a job (Busetta, 2013). They are perceived as smarter and having more social grace (Kanasawa, 2010). They are perceived to have better personality qualities like trustworthiness (Dewolf 2014).”
Learning
“Introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming. This course teaches students how to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently.”
Tools and Resources
“Diffchecker will compare text to find the difference between two text files. Just paste your files and click Find Difference!”
“WriteMore takes your word count goals to the next level. With its beautiful UI, reminders, and statistics, it's never been easier to write more online.”
Fun Stuff
“GeoGuessr is a geography game which takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognize your surroundings.”
“Guess the programming language”
Quote of the Week
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
🎉End
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With gratitude,
Will