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Alan Kay’s reading list

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Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#31

Post by 10ren »

jballanc wrote: post #27

Oh man...I was totally with him until I saw "Selfish Gene". Please, speaking as an evolutionary biologist, don't read that book. Dawkins oversimplifies the important and complicates the obvious. If you want a good book on an analytical approach to evolution, might I recommend "Evolutionary Dynamics" by Nowak in its place.

The "Selfish Gene" seemed well-written to me, though I'm not an evolutionary biologist. I would appreciate it if you could note down a couple of things he oversimplified or complicated, please.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#32

Post by 10ren »

jodrellblank wrote: post #5

One thing I've been pondering lately, is the more general purpose of reading books. I used to read quite a lot of books, library books and personal books. Mostly fiction and popular science, I hesitate to admit (not hesitate to read them, just hesitate to admit because they are 'lesser' books). There are a lot of things that I couldn't tell you whether I have read or not, let alone what the main points were. Now I mo…

For me, it's a little like feeding coral, or having a rich environment for enzymes to operate on: if my thinking is ready for particular new insight, it's great if that idea comes along. It then becomes a part of my thinking. Similarly, if I'm working on a problem, I often get insight from other activities, including reading.

Reading well-written books and essays influences the way I express myself, unconsciously.

I also think it keeps the mind supple, to be able to absorb new perspectives. Perhaps even more important, is to be reminded that they are things I don't know, and didn't even suspect (the particular things aren't so important, just feeling of not knowing as much as I thought.)

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#33

Post by swombat »

Alex3917 wrote: post #24
giardini wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What sort of mindmap do you use?

http://freemind.sourceforge.net I'm using .9RC4 right now, it's great. The only problem is that the flash exporter doesn't seem to be working with Firefox 3.5RC1, but that's a Firefox bug so who knows when it'll get fixed. It worked fine until this week, and it still works in Safari and every other browser :-/ If you want to see an example map check out http://www.alexkrupp.com/earth.html The only caveat is that some…

That's a really interesting approach to reading and remembering books. Thanks for sharing it.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#34

Post by dhess »

Alex3917 wrote: post #10

Has anyone here actually read Piaget? I've heard that he was such a bad writer that even his closest disciples often had no idea what he was talking about. I'm tempted to read these books, but on the other hand I'm worried it will make it even harder to understand his ideas.

I'm slowly reading Language and Thought of the Child. The "slowly" part is my fault, not Piaget's; I think it's excellent and understandable, even if it's a bit verbose.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#35

Post by Alex3917 »

swombat wrote: post #33
Alex3917 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://freemind.sourceforge.net I'm using .9RC4 right now, it's great. The only problem is that the flash exporter doesn't seem to be working with Firefox 3.5RC1, but that's a Firefox bug so who knows when it'll get fixed. It worked fine until this week, and it still works in Safari and every other browser :-/ If you want to see an example map check out http://www.alexkrupp.com/earth.html The only caveat is that some…

That's a really interesting approach to reading and remembering books. Thanks for sharing it.

No problem. The reason I like it is because writing full marginalia breaks my train of thought and makes it harder for me to get through the book. If I'm reminded of something I'll still write it down on the spot, but otherwise this system is more efficient than other things I've tried.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#36

Post by rodrigo »

frossie wrote: post #11
jodrellblank wrote: post #5

One thing I've been pondering lately, is the more general purpose of reading books. I used to read quite a lot of books, library books and personal books. Mostly fiction and popular science, I hesitate to admit (not hesitate to read them, just hesitate to admit because they are 'lesser' books). There are a lot of things that I couldn't tell you whether I have read or not, let alone what the main points were. Now I mo…

Am I really a better person for having read more books? For having been exposed to certain ideas? Yes. Even if you can't directly recall what you have read, if you understood it while you were reading it you would have internalised some of the world view, if not the blow-by-blow account. As somebody else replied, discussing it with your friends (or, making friends of the people who would discuss such books with you)…

Agree. Last week I was discussing with a friend about the significance of certain writer (wich I read in highschool and havent reread again) and I was surprised I could come up with some significant hindsigths about his work. I guess I internalized and talking about it years later, at the ligth of many other things I have read and received, I was able to articulate about it.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#37

Post by rodrigo »

emmett wrote: post #9
jodrellblank wrote: post #5

One thing I've been pondering lately, is the more general purpose of reading books. I used to read quite a lot of books, library books and personal books. Mostly fiction and popular science, I hesitate to admit (not hesitate to read them, just hesitate to admit because they are 'lesser' books). There are a lot of things that I couldn't tell you whether I have read or not, let alone what the main points were. Now I mo…

Reading books is mostly something you do for entertainment, like going to the movies, or eating nice food. There's nothing wrong with that! It's very pleasurable, and occasionally useful. But generally most reading doesn't make you a better person, any more than watching opera or other "high" art does.

Thats sounds shallow. If I have a great meal or watch a good play in a theather or any other "high" art, and im able to pay atention and find interesting stuff in the work,I engage with the sensitive side and that alone, makes me a better person.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#38

Post by zcrar70 »

Alex3917 wrote: post #24
giardini wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What sort of mindmap do you use?

http://freemind.sourceforge.net I'm using .9RC4 right now, it's great. The only problem is that the flash exporter doesn't seem to be working with Firefox 3.5RC1, but that's a Firefox bug so who knows when it'll get fixed. It worked fine until this week, and it still works in Safari and every other browser :-/ If you want to see an example map check out http://www.alexkrupp.com/earth.html The only caveat is that some…

Cool - I wish I had the discipline (and time, but really discipline) to do this.

Re: Alan Kay’s reading list

#39

Post by radu_floricica »

Alex3917 wrote: post #10

Has anyone here actually read Piaget? I've heard that he was such a bad writer that even his closest disciples often had no idea what he was talking about. I'm tempted to read these books, but on the other hand I'm worried it will make it even harder to understand his ideas.

I raised an eyebrow at Piaget too, but mostly because he's been described as on the same level with Freud: he created the field, but that was a long time ago. I haven't read him though, I admit.
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