Features
Knowledge Repository
This will become a live, continually updated set of databases with information that can be used by debate teams, journalists, policymakers, etc. It will be a little like Wikipedia but more research-oriented.
People can enter what they deem to be factual statements. Then, for each fact, people can list evidence that supports it and evidence that contradicts it, along with the reasoning behind the support or contradictions. We'll need a system that filters and consolidates the facts, evidence, and reasoning to keep it all manageable. So, I’ll need input on what strategies to build to keep it manageable.
However, it will be designed similarly to how college debaters used to organize their note card files from which they have to retrieve information quickly.
The Idea Heap
Quick Notes (personal thoughts)
Write down short ideas as thoughts come.
Note Cards (notes from websites, books, periodicals, videos)
Build a note card system with bibliographic references to gather information from websites, books, magazines,
videos,
etc.
Articles, Essays, Blogs
Enable project members to compile information across Quick Links, Quick Notes, Lists, Comparisons, and
Formulas
using
keywords and hashtags.
Comparisons
Keep notes on contrasts, differentiation, juxtapositions, paradoxes, correlations, similarities, and differences.
Lists
We will allow the development of lists. They will have similar features as mentioned for the outlines below,
plus each list could become part of an outline itself.
Outlines
First approach: Start with an outline, then drag-and-drop quick links, note cards, quick notes, comparisons, and lists to be attached to the outline topics and subtopics. An author can build a rough draft of a full-fledged article with in-depth thoughts and evidence.
Second approach: Allow an assortment of titles from quick links, note cards, quick notes, comparisons, and lists to be imported and dragged around to create an outline.
Formulas
Include tools that enable standard notation of fractions, summations, integrals, chemical equations, etc. This will enable discussions on technical topics.
Hashtags/Keywords
Enable project members to gather research across each other’s Quick Links, Quick Notes, Lists, Comparisons, and Formulas through keywords or commonly accepted hashtags.
Search
Enable project members to search content across Quick Links, Quick Notes, Lists, Comparisons, Formulas, Articles, Blogs, etc.
Collaboration
Essays
Write rough drafts of essays, enable editors to review the essays, enable publication of the essays, and
allow monitored
reader comments at the end of each article after publication.
Forums (traditional)
Allow for a more interactive and collaborative experience, but typically a linear series of thoughts.
Forums (spiderweb)
Enable interactive discussion based on nodes where the traditional linear discussions can branch off in
several
directions.
Debates (oppositional)
Traditional style. Debate two sides of a proposition. Teams take a side for the first debate, then switch
sides of the topic in a second debate. This allows a fuller perspective on the issues.
Debates (collaborative)
Virtual teams will debate two sides of an issue, but participants can switch back and forth between them as
ideas and
rebuttals for either side come to mind.
Debates (multi-dimensional)
Not all problems have just two sides. Many are multi-dimensional. Develop debate structures for a topic
that can handle several dimensions of thought.
Debates (humorous)
These debates will focus more on humor than exploring challenging paradoxes and problems. Humorous debates
will help
people escape the constant barrage of life's difficulties.
Resources
Build a list of references where ideas can be found: libraries, media, universities, government
resources, business resources, church resources, other nonprofit resources, experts' contact info, etc.
Build database repositories where ideas can be stored, retrieved, and browsed.
Media
In addition to blogs, forums, and debates, we also want to enable users to produce vlogs, videos, chats, and
streaming
of real-time events.
Language Translation
Many members won't know English, so we must add language translation capabilities to the site.
Professions
Education
Provide tools for supplemental education:
- Databases to both retrieve and submit information and evidence for good education
- Principles for sound education
- References on building educational outlets
- Education equipment guide
- Quality online educational resources
- Budgeting and financial guides
- Online instruction to develop teaching skills
- Forums to discuss how to improve public, private, and home-school educational systems
Journalism
Provide tools for journalism such as the following to enable people to engage in journalism:
- Reference system that tracks the accuracy of journalists and news outlets over time. All ideological sides
could
submit evidence regarding accuracy.
- Reference system that tracks blatant bias that results in inaccurate news reports. An example of blatant
bias would be
when a reporter declares someone else's claim as being false when, for anyone, there are too many unknowns
to determine that. But since they wish it were false to fit their narrative, they declare it false.
- Databases for the public to submit, store, and retrieve information and evidence for all topics of general
interest
- List principles for sound journalism
- References for journalists and publishers on how to grow journalistic outlets
- How to develop contacts with movers and shakers for gathering news
- Journalism equipment guide
- Writing guides
- Videography guides
- Publishing guides
- Budgeting and financial guides
- Online instruction and links to training to develop journalistic skills
- Provide news website services that journalists can license to use as their news outlets at attractive
prices
- Language translation services
- Forums to discuss how to improve journalism
Law
Provide research regarding what makes good law and how to make law fairer and more effective:
- Reference system that tracks how law has facilitated society and individuals, and how it has damaged
society and individuals.
- Reference system that tracks blatant bias in law throughout history.
- Databases for the public to submit, store, and retrieve information and evidence for all topics regarding
law
- Develop systems that link the general public to legislators and their staffs to collaboratively research
the best ways
to solve
complex problems in society
- List principles for sound law
- How to develop relationships with staffs of legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government
- Online instruction and links to training to develop legal knowledge and insight
- Database for public use that tracks what issues can be reasonably addressed through law and what problems
can only be
addressed through systems outside the legal system (statutory laws vs. laws of the heart)
- Forums to discuss how to improve legal systems
Business
Provide business tools to enable people to start new businesses:
- Databases with information and references on how to build meaningful and successful businesses
- Principles for sound business
- References on finding assistance with building a new business
- Budgeting and financial guides
- Online instruction to develop business skills
- Language translation services
- Forums to discuss business
Social Services
Provide research regarding what makes social services effective and how to make social services fairer and
more
effective:
- Reference system that tracks how social services have facilitated society and individuals and how they
have damaged society and
individuals.
- Reference system that tracks blatant bias in social services throughout history.
- Databases for the public to submit, store, and retrieve information and evidence for all topics regarding
social services
- List principles for sound practice in social services
- How to develop relationships with staff of social services
- Online instruction and links to training to develop social services, including getting funding, finding
workers, managing finances, etc.
- Database for public use that tracks what problems can be reasonably addressed through social services
- Forums to discuss how to improve social service systems
Truth, Facts, Information, Knowledge, Skills, Wisdom
Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not understanding, understanding is not wisdom.
--Clifford Stoll, astronomer
The opposite of a fact is a falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
----Niels Bohr, physicist
Facts to Wisdom
- Fact: Basic, raw pieces of information, sometimes without context or meaning, like a single number on a spreadsheet or a fundamental atomic element used as a starting point. (The element itself might break down into smaller components, but this element sufficiently represents a starting premise for the discussion at hand.)
- Information: Facts organized and given context, making them meaningful and useful, like a sentence explaining a set of facts.
- Knowledge: The deeper understanding gained by analyzing and interpreting information, allowing for alternative solutions to a problem.
- Wisdom: The ability to apply knowledge effectively in complex situations, often based on accumulated experience, considering the following along with additional considerations:
- Reflecting on ethical and moral considerations,
- Balancing short-term, medium-term, and long-term consequences,
- Balancing individual and society benefits.
Here’s a simple example to illustrate the difference between fact and information:
- Fact: The Earth orbits the Sun.
This is a statement that can be proven true. It’s a scientific fact based on astronomical observation and evidence.
- Information: "The Earth orbits the Sun once every 365.25 days, and it has an elliptical orbit that brings it closer to the Sun in January and farther in July."
This provides more context or details about the fact. It’s still true and accurate, but it’s more specific and informative, offering additional insight into the nature of the Earth's orbit.
Key Difference:
- Facts are specific, verifiable truths.
- Information is a collection of facts or knowledge that can give us more context, details, or understanding.
Skills
Skills: Learned abilities to perform specific tasks proficiently, often based on underlying knowledge.
Examples:
- In marketing: Knowing the principles of color theory (knowledge) and then applying that knowledge to design a visually appealing marketing campaign (skill).
- In coding: Understanding programming syntax (knowledge) and writing functional code to solve a specific problem (skill).
- In healthcare: Studying the anatomy of the human body (knowledge) and then performing a medical procedure with precision (skill).
- In public speaking: Learning about effective communication techniques (knowledge) and then delivering a confident and engaging presentation to an audience (skill).
Key points to remember:
- Practice is essential: Simply knowing facts is not enough; applying that knowledge through repeated practice is what turns it into a skill.
- Context matters: Skills are often developed within specific contexts, meaning the ability to apply knowledge can vary depending on the situation.
- Feedback is crucial: Receiving constructive criticism and adapting your approach based on feedback helps refine your skills.
