2020 September Update. Learning about Management.

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New posts #

Ugh field or Why can't you do this task?

Books I've read #

• Nemesis Games (The Expanse #5) by James S.A. Corey.
• Babylon's Ashes (The Expanse #6) by James S.A. Corey
• All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum

In general, I've tried to add more things I do for fun to my schedule.

I don't usually recommend books that I didn't finish, but this one is so good that I'm going to make an exception. On September 25, I started reading Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager: How to Be the Leader Your Development Team Needs by James Stanier. It's excellent, and I can recommend it to managers and employees. Peeking behind the curtain will help you even if you're not interested in management yourself.

Elsewhere on the Web #

• MacArthur' Genius' Angela Duckworth Responds To A New Critique Of Grit. I'm skeptical about Grit for some time now. The studies (afaik) can't check if the cadets that drop out made a wrong decision. You would have to dismiss half of them randomly. The assumption is that all cadets are almost the same and that they would thrive if they stayed. I'm not saying it's not true. I'm just not sure if that's a valid assumption.

• Do Smartphones Make Us Dumber? by Cal Newport.

Subjects measured notably lower on working memory capacity and fluid intelligence when the phone was next to them on the desk versus out of sight. This was true even though in all the cases the subjects didn't actually use their phones.

The mere presence of the device, in other words, sapped cognitive resources. The effect was particularly pronounced in those who self-reported to be heavy phone users.

• Built to Last

Older systems have value, and constantly building new technological systems for short-term profit at the expense of existing infrastructure is not progress. In fact, it is among the most regressive paths a society can take.

• The Four Theories of Truth As a Method for Critical Thinking by Cedric Chin

The four theories are as follows:

1. The correspondence theory of truth — that whatever corresponds to observable reality is true.
2. The coherence theory of truth — that claims are true if they follow logically and coherently from a set of axioms (or intermediate propositions).
3. The consensus theory of truth — that what is true is what everyone agrees to be true.
4. The pragmatic theory of truth — that what is true is what is useful to you, or beneficial for you.

• Does Coffee make you Fat and Anxious?. But, please remember that different people react very differently to caffeine and coffee.

Until next time,
Krzysztof Kula