Organic knowledge

Organic knowledge is cultivated through lifelong experiences, interests, and trials of a creator. Organic knowledge is characterized by its connectedness. It's easy to understand and can be easily applied across related fields.

If you cannot explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough

Richard Feynman

’s recorder series,

Fun to Imagine

is my favorite example of organic knowledge. He explains some physics concepts that I previously knew in a narrow, disconnected, partial, and technical manner, using the simplest terms. Feynman is the epitome of taking an organic approach to learning. As a physics student, he would go to freshman students to explain complex problems using only the simplest terms, rather than focusing on memorizing theories from textbooks. He believed that understanding complex issues in this way would lead to higher-quality conclusions.

I took this term from

Paul Graham

and his essay Organic Startup Ideas "There are two types of startup ideas: those that grow organically out of your own life, and those that you decide, from afar, are going to be necessary to some class of users other than you". He also says that most successful startups they help grow in Y-Combinator were based on organic ideas.

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Work-in-progress

Connected ideas: Theorethical vs. Practical knowledge. Learning using theory

Organic vs forced, artificial knowledge?

Organic knowledge is knowledge that

is lived in, is more wholistic, is embodied by rendering it through different situations

it is not forced (proably forced to appear better)

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Old version

Organic knowledge is grown from a life-long experiences, interests, tests of a creator. On the other side, there is knowledge that is rigid, memorized, closed, isolated. When you delve deeper to understand something organic knowledge easily connects with other ideas whereas non-organic is closed off.

If you cannot explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough

Richard Feynman

recorded

Fun to Imagine

and it is my favorite example of Organic knowledge. This are some physics definitions that I knew in this narrow, disconnected, partial, technical that he explains in the simplest terms. Feynman is my top example when you take a organic approach to learning. When he was a physics student instead of focusing on memorizing theory from textbooks he would challenge fellow students anybody to explain a complex problem using only simplest terms. He believed that if he can understanding complex problem this way he would be able to arrive at higher quality conclusions.

I took this term from

Paul Graham

I believe there is something universal about this approach. It counters our hierarchical brains, our negativity bias, and our evolutionary inclination to focus on the negative. I try to make a habit of doing everything with love. By love, I mean carrying and being attentive when performing any task. I often forget about this mindset, but when I remember it, it helps me when I'm struggling. It helps me when I'm not content with myself. The past is in the past and the only thing I can do is start from where I am. It’s especially hard when one feels guilty, worried about how they are gonna be received or disappointment with a chain of events. The only thing one can do is start where you are. The only thing is to say that’s okay and put care and attention into what I'm doing now. This applies to writing and ever lasting struggle of culture. Can I publish this? Is this enough? Read more in

Love