zettlekasten 0.0.2

Zettlekasten at its finest!

# zettlekasten

Software that try to implement a simple zettlekasten coded in Python.

## Kesako?!

> The Zettelkasten principles > > A Zettelkasten is a phenomenal tool for storing and organizing your > knowledge, extending your> memory, generating new connections > between ideas, and increasing your writing output. However, to make > the most of a Zettelkasten, you should follow some key principles. > > 1. The principle of atomicity: The term was coined by Christian > Tietze. It means that each note should contain one idea and one > idea only. This makes it possible to link ideas with a lase > focus. > > 2. The principle of autonomy: Each note should be autonomous, > meaning it should be self-contained and comprehensible on its > own. This allows notes to be moved, processed, separated, and > concatenated independently of its neighbors. It also ensures that > notes remain useful even if the original source of information > disappears. > > 3. Always link your notes: Whenever you add a note, make sure to > link it to already existing notes. Avoid notes that are > disconnected from other notes. As Luhmann himself put it, “each > note is just an element that derives its quality from the network > of links in the system. A note that is not connected to the > network will be lost, will be forgotten by the Zettelkasten” > (original in German). > > 4. Explain why you’re linking notes: Whenever you are connecting two > notes by a link, make sure to briefly explain why you are linking > them. Otherwise, years down the road when you revisit your notes, > you may have no idea why you connected them. > > 5. Use your own words: Don’t copy and paste. If you come across an > interesting idea and want to add it to your Zettelkasten, you > must express that idea with your own words, in a way that you’ll > be sure to understand years later. Don’t turn your Zettelkasten > into a dump of copy-and-pasted information. > > 6. Keep references: Always add references to your notes so that you > know where you got an idea from. This prevents plagiarism and > makes it easy for you to revisit the original source later on. > > 7. Add your own thoughts to the Zettelkasten: If you have thoughts > of your own, add them to the Zettelkasten as notes while keeping > in mind the principle of atomicity, autonomy, and the need for > linking. > > 8. Don’t worry about structure: Don’t worry about putting notes in > neat folders or into unique preconceived categories. As Schmidt > put it, in a Zettelkasten “there are no privileged positions” and > “there is no top and no bottom.” The organization develops > organically. > > 9. Add connection notes: As you begin to see connections among > seemingly random notes, create connection notes, that is, > specific notes whose purpose is to link together other notes and > explain their relationship. > > 10. Add outline notes: As ideas begin to coalesce into themes, > create outline notes. An outline note is a note that simply > contains a sequence of links to other notes, putting those other > notes into a particular order to create a story, narrative, or > argument. > > 11. Never delete: Don’t delete old notes. Instead, link to new notes > that explain what’s wrong with the old ones. In that way, your > Zettelkasten will reflect how your thinking has evolved over > time, which will prevent hindsight bias. Moreover, if you don’t > delete, you might revisit old ideas that may turn out to be > correct after all. > > 12. Add notes without fear: You can never have too much information > in your Zettelkasten. At worst, you’ll add notes that won’t be > of immediate use. But adding more notes will never break your > Zettelkasten or interfere with its proper operation. Remember, > Luhmann had 90,000 notes in his Zettelkasten! > > https://writingcooperative.com/zettelkasten-how-one-german-scholar-was-so-freakishly-productive-997e4e0ca125