📖How can we develop transformative tools for thought?
- authors
- Matuschak, Andy and Nielsen, Michael
- year
- 2019
- url
- https://numinous.productions/ttft/
First prototype is interleaving articles with small quizzes where you can answer “I remember” or “Did not remember.” After finishing the article, in 5 days you’re emailed for a review session. Then after two weeks, after month, after a couple of months, etc. That’s § Spaced Repetition.
With spaced repetition you get exponential returns for increased effort. Every additional minute reviewing the card provides more and more benefit (because you remember the card longer and longer). → Spaced repetition provides exponential returns on investment
videos are much better at prompting emotions than the text
“educational” videos do not substantially change understanding of the subject but rather create a powerful emotional connection
“mnemonic video” would have narrator ask questions inline, pause for user to think (“press anywhere to continue”), and then explain the answer inline.
“taking emotion seriously”
tools for thoughts are hard to develop but are easy to copy. that’s why it’s hard to build a business building them in the first place
“The work is really about exploration of an open-ended question: how can we develop tools that change and expand the range of thoughts human beings can think? ”
“good tools for thought arise mostly as a byproduct of doing original work on serious problems”
you cannot create a good tool for thought in a particular field unless you’re good at this field
Quantum Country was created in part to answer a specific question