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How to ThinkIn the Age of AI
Principlev1PR-331

Label every relationship in concept maps with specific verbs

Label every relationship in concept maps with specific verbs describing mechanisms rather than vague connectors to force precise articulation of understanding.

Why This Is a Principle

Grounded in Illusion of Explanatory Depth (gap between felt understanding and explanation), Externalization Exposes Hidden Structure (externalization exposes gaps), and Tacit Knowledge Exceeds Linguistic Expression (tacit knowledge resists linguistic formalization). Precise labeling tests comprehension depth.

Source Lessons

Externalize your mental models

A mental model you cannot draw is a mental model you cannot examine. The models that govern your decisions most powerfully are the ones you have never made visible — and therefore never inspected, never tested, and never improved.

Connections

Back to Concepts