Mental Models

Frameworks for thinking about and understanding the world and our impact on it.

Nuclear-Powered Pacemakers

Even though it might technically be safe to walk around with trace amounts of plutonium powering your heart, this is still a terrible idea, and there are two groups that really, really hated it.

Argue the Opposite

Having a strong opinion requires work, because you have to be able to argue your perspective effectively.

Convergent vs. Divergent Thinking

Thomas Edison famously said. “I am quite correctly described as 'more of a sponge than an inventor."

Change Your Mind

The world is changing quickly, and many of us would be better off changing our minds more often to reflect new information.

Knowledge Trees

If you're trying to learn something new, identify the trunk of the topic first.

Systems Thinking

If I could teach my younger self one thing, it would be this: If you’re trying to make a sustainable change in yourself or the world, you need to create a system for doing so.