Trunk · trunk
The semantic tree
Knowledge has a shape. Trunk and big branches first; leaves later, or they fall.
This hangs on First principles.
See on the treeThe metaphor is not decoration. Semantics is meaning-structure: what follows from what, what a word is doing, what a claim needs. A tree is a dependency graph that grew. You cannot hang Literature on nothing. You cannot hang a simulation hypothesis on a feeling that the graphics are good.
This entire tree is that sentence, built out as a map you can walk.
It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree. Make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to.
Hangs on
What hangs from here
Sources
- Musk, Elon. Comment on “I am Elon Musk, CEO/CTO of a rocket company, AMA.” Reddit, January 5, 2015.
Note
Comment cnfre0a on the 5 January 2015 AMA. The parent question is how he learns so fast. Holds the semantic-tree sentence and the head-is-full machine metaphor.