Concepts
The irreducible epistemic atoms underlying the curriculum. 4,828 atoms across 8 types
Draw mental models as boxes and labeled arrows within 10…
Draw mental models as diagrams with boxes for entities and labeled arrows for relationships within ten minutes, because spatial layout forces explicit specification of what connects to what and reveals gaps that prose automatically conceals.
Label diagram arrows with specific verbs — 'causes'…
When externalizing mental models, label every arrow with a specific verb describing the relationship mechanism (causes, enables, blocks, amplifies) rather than vague connectors like 'affects' or 'relates to', because unlabeled relationships reveal unexamined assumptions.
Audit every model diagram for missing feedback loops…
After drawing a mental model, audit it for missing feedback loops by tracing whether any effects circle back to influence their own causes, because circular causation governs most complex systems but is invisible to linear thinking.
After completing a relationship map, write what…
After drawing a complete relationship map, write three to five sentences describing the structural story—focusing specifically on what was invisible before you drew the map rather than summarizing what you already knew.
Lay out multiple notes in parallel visual access…
Lay out multiple notes simultaneously in parallel visual access rather than reading them sequentially, because synthesis requires holding multiple ideas in working memory or visual space at the same time.