19-02-01 Book Dissection

Category: Idea Lists (Upon Request)

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Book Dissection

1. Breakdowns in the author’s conceptual scheme
2. Strongest counterarguments to the major theses of the text
3. Mathematical representation of major claims made. Figure out which relationships the book claims as linear, quadratic, discrete or continuous, power law vs. gaussian, associative vs. causal, etc. Do the relevant transfer from what is known about the functional form of the relationship.
4. Contrarian truths
   1. Highest variance, highest value concepts
5. Line by line for each claim, invert / assume that the claim is false / isn’t the best path. Generate arguments in support of the opposite of the claim.
6. Write down the author’s conceptual scheme (categories they treat as predictive, other categorization schemes they choose not to use)
7. Find an author with the opposite position and read them concurrently
8. Extrapolate every major thesis brought by the author - breadth of implications, increase the intensity / magnitude of the effects they posit

Source: Original Google Doc