@readwithai - X - Plugin REPL
Obsidian is a markdown editor to maintain a personal knowledge base. However, there is also a theory of note taking of a theory associated with it which swirls around the internet in blogs and videos - all quite similar but slightly different. Lots of things I do here are more practical: how do you do this particularly thing, here is a tool for this, etc. But not talking about theory at all, particularly when the tools I make often fit into this theory seem slightly incomplete, so I am going to talk about this here.
Firstly, Obsidian is a tool to take notes and you can take notes however you want. But, you might like to use some of the tricks that other people who makes notes have come up with. I wrote quite a detailed review of how different people say they take notes in Obsidian.
But there is also a broadly accepted theory that people tend to repeat to one another. So let’s talk about that:
People say Obsidian allows you to create notes that more accurately related to thought by linking between notes.
People Obsidian allows for faster navigation between notes and not forgetting things by allowing for abstraction of your notes.
Pepole say Obsidian allows for the creation of new ideas by allowing you to juxtapose similar and different ideas.
It can be valuable to have different types of notes inside Obsidian encouraging you to make connections
Obsidian allows you create notes that last for a longer period of time by allowing your notes to change
Obsidian allows you to implement a thing called Zettelkasten which a sociologist used to be quite productive.
Some information in Obsidian is “contextual” and can only be interpreted with other knowledge. Other information is less contextual it can be good to make information less contextual
One way of making information less contextual is abstracting it
Notes in Obsidian can have different purposes. It can be good to have an internal taxonomy of notes. A common taxonomy is Fleeting vs Evergreen notes and Atomic Notes.
Atomic Notes consist of a single idea
Maps of content connect to multiple notes and create high level structure.
Sometimes it is useful to ensure that all your maps of content are linked up to a Home Note so that everything has a place. This home note could be related to actions, your identity, or something more philosophical.
You shouldn’t think too much about theory when you start using Obsidian because it is “just a markdown editor”
You will find lots of people on the internet talking about these ideas, often without reference.
What do I think about this theory? I think there are a lot of valuable and interesting ideas. I think in many ways it can be quite restrictive. I think lots of people use Obsidian for processes rather than as a knowledge base. I think some people use Obsidian for writing rather than for a knowledge base.
Also I think I don’t want to be another person echoing the same set of ideas without reference. You can find lots of references here! But if I was to recommend a single source it would be this video by Hoevan or the entirity of the Obsidian rocks blog.
It’s also worth that note taking tools represent an interesting middle ground in theoretical space have way between something like library studies and a tool for thought.
My own contributions to theory
While I don’t just want to a promulgator of existing ideas (while I will happily document and reference them). I do engage in a little theory at times, and particularly make tools within theory. Particularly when something is new or critiques and existing ideas. Here are some things I have written about theory.
I think that maps of content can act as a good way of remembering stuff by acting as a form of spaced repetition. I think hand-coded maps of content can be quite valuable as a tool for memory and make your notes a nice place to live in - I quite like maps of content that look like the lead for Wikipedia pages, but at the same time I start off with automated maps of content because I am lazy and then adapt them over time.
Finishing off
Well that’s an introduction to the theory of Obsidian. If you found this interesting you might like to read:
A somewhat academic review of how people take notes in Obsidian.
If you want to flee the theoretical you mihgt like to have a look at my cookbook of Obsidian tricks.
If you want to get started with Obsidian you can start here.