I encountered this idea while watching videos from Scott Hanselman, an exceptional developer adept at explaining concepts in a way that resonates with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Now, let's delve into the topic: Knowledge and how to conceptualize it.
Firstly, it's a general consensus that knowledge is infinite. Even if one attains expert status in a particular field, there remains an abundance of knowledge to acquire, not to mention other fields with their unique insights. Consider Nobel Prize laureates, individuals who have dedicated years to groundbreaking research – even they would never assert that they have exhaustive knowledge in their domain. For instance, a Physics Nobel laureate would not claim to possess comprehensive knowledge in Chemistry.
So, knowledge is boundless, and life is too short. Yet, we often hear the adage, "Knowledge is power." The question then arises: how can we effectively utilize knowledge? In my perspective, establishing a personal system to categorize knowledge and using this system as a heuristic for prioritization is crucial. Here's an example of a categorization system I employ:
Type 1: Something that I must know
Type 2: Something that I should know
Type 3: Something that is nice to know
Type 4: Something that is trivial - blackbox knowledge
Applying this model to the field I've studied – Software Engineering – I categorize knowledge as follows:
Type 1: Object-Oriented concepts such as Inheritance, Encapsulation, Polymorphism.
Type 2: Understanding the difference between Containers and Virtual Machines.
Type 3: Comprehending how HTTPs and its security scheme operate.
Type 4: Understanding the inner workings of the MD5 hashing scheme.
It's essential to note that while the categorization system remains constant, how you allocate knowledge to each category depends on your purpose and career goals. For instance, if your ambition is to become a Security Engineer, then understanding HTTPs becomes a must-know. In conclusion, I believe this categorization system is applicable to various fields, and I trust this post proves helpful to all of you.
Ted