The slipbox confronts us with our lack of understanding

In oral presentations, we easily get away with unfounded claims. We can distract from argumentative gaps with a "you know what I mean", even if on introspection we would find that we don't know what we mean. Writing permanent notes will make these gaps obvious.

You use your notetaking as a learning tool – to spot new patterns and draw conclusions – and for this to work, each note and how they relate must make sense. You grow a curiosity for coherent relations (gears-level models!) and an awareness that there are always gaps.

You won't come up with incoherent arguments in service of a conclusion: it is not needed, because your conclusion is not set. This is another reason The slipbox counters confirmation bias.

What links here

• For every postulate, provide at least one gear
• To think complex thoughts, you must write
• Book: How to Take Smart Notes
• Potential of slipboxes