I originally read this essay in high school english but still think of it frequently. These ideas are foundational for critical thinking; it's a way to cut thro

I originally read this essay in high school english but still think of it frequently. These ideas are foundational for critical thinking; it's a way to cut through BS and see things more clearly. But it should come with few small warnings: - When following these heuristics, I second guess everything I write, which makes it take longer. That's not bad, per se; it's like a whetstone to sharpen your mind. (Case in point: is that an overused simile?? Don't think so, but I had to think about it.) It's a tradeoff to be aware of. - Obeying rule V (in particular "never use jargon") can lead to disappointment, because jargon is involved in humans forming knowledge-based groups. If you're trying to attract the attention of someone with expertise and you choose to use a common word in place of jargon, they're less likely to tune in. - I spend waaaay too much time on https://www.powerthesaurus.org https://www.powerthesaurus.org