4 ms·

What's the definition of Deep Generalist that you have in mind?

by alok-g 6y ago

smiley1437 6y ago
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” ― Robert A. Heinlein
- n4r9 6y ago
  Technically the quote belongs to a character in one of Heinlein's novels. He did love writing hyper-competent men though, so chances are he believed it himself at some point. It's a decent description of a hyper competent person, but I wouldn't say a "deep generalist" in the sense of someone who has prolific knowledge of many different fields of human knowledge.
JacobAldridge 6y ago
In my main keynote I talk about being in the top 25% of the field across 3 different domains, while also being at an intermediary level in a range of others. In part, that’s to set an achievable first goal - most of the audience are probably already there in 1 or 2 fields, so it’s not insurmountable for them to progress, and hopefully from there they have the success to keep going wide as well as deep. If I had to add a stronger definition it would be more onerous than that; but at the same time, I’m not keen to be a gatekeeper playing the ‘No True Scotsman’ game - I just feel people would be happier if they pursued their interests and let curiosity guide them, and that we would probably achieve more commercially and creatively if we embraced that part of our natural desires.
- alok-g 6y ago
  Thanks. I'll be curious to watch the keynote. :-) A question on my mind is how is "different domains" defined (a loose definition and/or positive and negative examples would be OK): * Running and swimming? * Playing violin and singing? * User Experience designer and sketch artist? * Neuroscience and machine learning? * Music and dancing? * Programming and chess? * Hardware and software? * Music and sketching? * Engineering and medicine? * Physics and gymnastics? :-) Thanks.

What's the definition of Deep Generalist that you have in mind?

by alok-g 6y ago

What's the definition of Deep Generalist that you have in mind?

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

n4r9 6y ago
Technically the quote belongs to a character in one of Heinlein's novels. He did love writing hyper-competent men though, so chances are he believed it himself at some point. It's a decent description of a hyper competent person, but I wouldn't say a "deep generalist" in the sense of someone who has prolific knowledge of many different fields of human knowledge.

JacobAldridge 6y ago

In my main keynote I talk about being in the top 25% of the field across 3 different domains, while also being at an intermediary level in a range of others. In part, that’s to set an achievable first goal - most of the audience are probably already there in 1 or 2 fields, so it’s not insurmountable for them to progress, and hopefully from there they have the success to keep going wide as well as deep. If I had to add a stronger definition it would be more onerous than that; but at the same time, I’m not keen to be a gatekeeper playing the ‘No True Scotsman’ game - I just feel people would be happier if they pursued their interests and let curiosity guide them, and that we would probably achieve more commercially and creatively if we embraced that part of our natural desires.

alok-g 6y ago
Thanks. I'll be curious to watch the keynote. :-) A question on my mind is how is "different domains" defined (a loose definition and/or positive and negative examples would be OK): * Running and swimming? * Playing violin and singing? * User Experience designer and sketch artist? * Neuroscience and machine learning? * Music and dancing? * Programming and chess? * Hardware and software? * Music and sketching? * Engineering and medicine? * Physics and gymnastics? :-) Thanks.