2025-10-18 16:21:00
The essence of learning lies not in acquiring new knowledge, but in reconstructing cognition.
Through learning, we dismantle old frameworks of understanding and reassemble our perception of the world.
When we cease to learn, we close ourselves off from the outside world. No longer listening to new voices, no longer questioning old beliefs, no longer willing to be changed.
This doesn't happen instantly, but through gradual solidification: thought becomes wrapped in habit, mind tamed by comfort.
When we cling to our experiences and conclusions, our world begins to shrink. We are no longer moved by the world, nor can we move it.
True learning is continuous flow. It means acknowledging our incompleteness, having the courage to constantly renew ourselves. Each new understanding is a small rebirth; each shaken certainty, a starting point for growth.
Zen practice lies not in seeking answers, but in maintaining beginner's mind: seeing things anew in each moment.
Growth is not upward, but inward.
When we see beneath the surface of experience a broader, more nuanced self. In that moment, we are still learning, still flowing.
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2025-10-07 03:15:00
【注】：
化用吳剛伐桂典故。↩
長川，此處指特茹河（Rio Tejo）。↩
里斯本素有「七丘之城」（Cidade das Sete Colinas）之稱。↩
古塔，指貝倫塔（Torre de Belém），建於 1514-1520 年，為大航海時代地標。↩
伽馬凌波，取達伽馬大橋（Ponte Vasco da Gama）橫亙特茹河之意象，該橋以首位繞航好望角抵達印度的葡萄牙航海家命名。↩
萬邦水榭，取萬國公園（Parque das Nações）園林景觀之意象，該處為 1998 年里斯本世博會舊址。↩
化用《莊子·逍遙游》「鵬之徙於南冥也，水擊三千里，摶扶搖而上者九萬里」。↩
化用玉兔搗藥之月宮意象。↩
2025-10-06 02:53:00
I opened Readwise Reader one day, searching for an article I'd saved weeks ago. Instead, I faced 3,000+ saved items, hundreds of highlights, and a stark realization: I had built an information graveyard. Collecting obsessively but processing minimally. The highlights were there, but the understanding? Nowhere to be found.
In the AI era, our core challenge has shifted from information scarcity to cognitive bandwidth. We encounter vast information daily, yet only a fraction becomes internalized. When we skim rapidly or highlight mechanically, information flows through us like water through a sponge, never truly penetrating.
That moment became the catalyst for the CETDE framework. Grounded in the DIKW pyramid (Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom), it transforms information into knowledge and wisdom capable of reshaping cognitive structures.
Collection transcends mere hoarding. It is conscious selection. The core principle is consolidating information gathering into a single place, reducing cognitive load from constant platform-switching.
In Practice:
Neuroscience confirms that learning without emotional engagement is ephemeral. With limited cognitive bandwidth, choosing wisely surpasses working harder.
The encoding phase centers on rapidly organizing information structure rather than achieving deep comprehension. It converts data into information through preliminary processing. Think of this as a translator making sense of a foreign text: you're making the content comprehensible without yet integrating it into your personal knowledge system.
In Practice:
The transfer phase represents the transition from short-term to long-term memory. It establishes preliminary understanding while allowing information to flow naturally. If Encode is like understanding what a map says, Transfer is like memorizing the route so you can navigate without constantly checking.
In Practice:
Buffering between Transfer and Distill allows information to resurface at opportune moments, providing unexpected connections when you're ready for deeper processing.
The distillation phase is the process's core, where deep understanding is established through cognitive conflict, active construction, and emotional anchoring. This forms knowledge authentically yours.
In Practice:
At this stage, notes transcend simple records to become knowledge assets infused with personal reflection. You know not only the "what" but the "why." These distilled notes become ready-to-use materials for writing and creating.
The expression phase transforms knowledge into creative output. Writing and dialogue themselves constitute the deepest processing, testing understanding's completeness while revealing new connections.
Expression should emerge naturally as awareness's spontaneous manifestation rather than forced production. When understanding matures, the desire to share naturally arises. This is when I know the knowledge has truly become mine.
The CETDE framework transcends methodology. It is a path of cognitive cultivation. These five steps correspond to five dimensions of deepening awareness:
These dimensions aren't strictly sequential but different facets operating simultaneously, mutually deepening in a spiral upward path.
Let me share a recent exchange that illustrates this practice. I was watching a video that mentioned the possibility of an unknown planet in our solar system:
Me: So the solar system is definitely a single-star system?
Claude: That's the scientific consensus based on current observations.
Me: But how confident are we in this consensus? What's the actual certainty level?
Claude: Very high confidence, though there are hypotheses about distant objects like Planet Nine...
Me: What if there's something beyond our detection range? Could it be a brown dwarf? A primordial black hole?
Claude: Interesting. Those are actual scientific hypotheses. The outer solar system remains poorly observed...
Me: And if such an object exists, how might that connect to the synchronized emergence of civilizations during the Axial Age? Could cosmic factors influence human consciousness?
This wasn't random questioning. It was the Zen practice of "raising doubt" (起疑情) applied to collaborative knowledge inquiry with AI, particularly deepening the Distill phase of CETDE.
The Essence: Continuously engage and refine doubt. Not skepticism but a yearning to transcend established cognitive boundaries. This becomes the driving force enabling continuous deepening in AI dialogue.
Three Key Practices:
The practice of repeatedly questioning seemingly certain conclusions allows deep insights to surface. Most crucially, raising doubt preserves cognitive independence in the algorithmic age. The "unknowing knowing" within doubt is precisely the human wisdom AI cannot replace.
The CETDE framework's core insight: deep processing is an attitude. It requires reverence toward knowledge and patience toward cognition.
In the age of information overload, remember:
The framework provides a theoretical reference point. What matters is discovering and verifying these principles within your own experience. Tools like Readwise Reader, Tana, and Mymind can support this practice, each excelling at different stages. But the specific tools matter less than the underlying principles.
A priori knowledge forms the foundation for effectively using AI, while the practice of raising doubt provides the wisdom to apply this knowledge. Between question and answer, between known and unknown, we discover insights unique to our age.
When we truly grasp CETDE's essence, we discover its five dimensions are actually the same awareness manifesting at different levels, ultimately pointing toward a single goal: transforming information into wisdom, maintaining cognitive independence and depth in the digital age.
2025-09-13 05:40:00
Recently, a friend persistently labels me as a 'leftist'. I suspect this label serves more to reinforce his own political identity than to accurately describe mine.
However, I have to say, unfortunately, I am a classical liberal.
As a classical liberal, I believe that protecting individual rights and upholding the rule of law form the foundation of a just society. Free markets and limited government represent the most effective means to maximize both personal freedom and societal welfare. This philosophy recognizes that voluntary exchange and competition, within a framework of clear rules and property rights, generate prosperity while preserving human dignity.
Yet, classical liberalism is not dogmatic. It recognizes real challenges like market failures, information asymmetries, and inequality. When markets fail to produce optimal outcomes due to monopolies, externalities, or genuine public goods, targeted interventions may be necessary. The key is to ensure that these interventions are proportionate, evidence based, and aimed at restoring market mechanisms rather than replacing them whenever possible.
This nuanced approach defies simple left right categorization. Classical liberals may support progressive taxation to fund essential public goods while opposing excessive regulation. They might advocate for strong antitrust enforcement while championing free trade. They often defend civil liberties against both corporate overreach and government surveillance.
In fact, I believe reducing any individual to a simple 'leftist' or 'rightist' misses the point entirely. Human beings are so complex, how do we define a man as a leftist or rightist? It's quite common for someone to hold left-leaning views on certain issues while aligning with the right on others. We each hold views that may align with different parts of the political spectrum depending on the issue. A person might support market solutions for economic efficiency while advocating for strong social safety nets for moral reasons. They might champion individual liberty while acknowledging the need for collective action on climate change.
This complexity is not inconsistency. I must point out that it reflects the multifaceted nature of both human values and societal challenges. The world, as I have noted before, is beautifully multifaceted precisely because it can accommodate all things while maintaining its own natural order and rhythm. Political wisdom lies not in forcing this complexity into rigid ideological boxes, but in finding principled ways to navigate it.
Classical liberalism offers such a framework: one rooted in respect for individual dignity, skeptical of concentrated power whether public or private, and committed to institutions that allow diverse perspectives to flourish through peaceful exchange and democratic deliberation.
2025-09-07 03:49:00
法眼文益禪師參訪羅漢桂琛禪師。
一問：「上座此行往何處？」
答：「行腳去。」
再問：「行腳作甚？」
答：「不知。」
桂琛云：「不知最親切。」
法眼當下有省。
近來細讀此段公案，頗覺有味。
世人每以為「知」能近真，孰料「知」一旦成執，便以觀念隔開現實。求學之道在「讀萬卷書，行萬里路」，其要旨固在消除無知，然仍須明辨。
「無知」是能力與意願的缺席，而「不知」是界限感與開放性的並存。前者閉塞世界，後者把世界還於當下。
禪宗言「親切」，非世俗之溫潤如玉、彬彬有禮，實乃直面宇宙實相而不為概念所蔽。吾人之「知」多來自既定框架，如戴有色眼鏡觀世間萬象，豈是本來面目？
卡爾維諾嘗言：
我對任何唾手可得、快速、出自本能、即興、含混的事物沒有信心。我相信緩慢、平和、細水流長的力量，踏實，冷靜。
此語正點出「不知」之真義。非信馬由韁之隨意，實需極大定力之修行。真正的「不知」要求我們克制大腦急于歸類之衝動，耐心觀察，靜心傾聽現實本身之聲息。
法眼的「不知」，便是放下對行腳之種種預設——不為抵達某地，不為成就某事，只是純然地行走。此純粹狀態，反令其心扉洞開，得聞妙諦。若其心有既定目標，恐難領會「不知最親切」之深意矣。
現今，吾輩較前人更易陷入「知」所建構的幻象。AI 使人誤以為資訊等同理解，社交媒體令人混淆觀點與智慧。然真正之般若，往往來自知曉何時當放下所知，重新面對實相。
是故，「不知最親切」既非反智，亦非逃避。乃對真實之忠誠，對隨時被現實修正之勇氣。以此姿態面對工作、學問、人倫，便可發現，最為親切者，是那份願意重新開始、持續學習之開放心境。
正如維特根斯坦所言：「凡不可言說者，必須保持沉默。」(Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen.) 然於此沉默中，恰蘊含最豐富之可能。
當下如是，便是「不知最親切」。
2025-08-31 04:58:00
晚上和泽泽一边听歌，一边聊天，不知怎么就聊到了小时候上网的事情。
记得我们家是 2000 年左右，组装的第一台电脑。父亲的一个同事带着我们去组装，他是那个年代少有的电脑高手。那时电脑分为品牌机和组装机，父亲选择了后者。不过，真正改变我生活的，是 2003 年家里终于接入了互联网。
那时还是拨号上网，不过已经比早前在哥哥姐姐家连网方便许多。他们还需要真的拿起电话来拨通一个号码，听着「滴滴滴」响几下之后网络才能连通。而我家上网时，中国电信已经有拨号软件，打开后点击连接就行。
印象中，学校是在三年级开设的微机课。第一节课老师就开始教我们用 Windows 的画图工具画圆形、矩形、线条，学习配色。后来还学了 Flash 动画。现在可能已经很少有人知道什么是 Flash 动画，但那个时候我们玩得不亦乐乎。有一次元旦联欢，我们班就是用 Flash 制作了动画播放。
家里没有网络之前，我并不热衷玩电脑。除了偶尔玩一下《帝国时代》《仙剑奇侠传》这样的单机游戏，更多的时间是小霸王学习机上玩《超级玛丽》《魂斗罗》等。家里对我玩游戏采取了放任的态度，这也使得我几乎没有和同学去过游戏厅、网吧，以致我长大后依然对游戏厅心向往之。
最早练习打字和背英文单词，也是在小霸王学习机上，这可能是唯二能体现它是学习机的地方。
家里能上网后，我自然也像其他小伙伴一样开始玩网游。所不同的是，他们玩的是 CS 或者传奇，而我玩的是梦幻西游。这是我玩得最久的一个游戏，一直玩到 2014 年或 2015 年。想想很可怕，一说起十年前我还总觉得是 00 年代，而实际上 2009 年距今都已经 16 年了。
玩梦幻西游需要买点卡，也让我经历了人生第一次网络诈骗。在一个游戏论坛里看到有人说他卖的点卡比官方便宜，只需要给他充值 Q 币。零花钱不多的我自然心动。恰好我有很多家里给我的 IC 电话卡是可以充 Q 币的。我就用这些 IC 卡给那个人充了 Q 币，结果充完之后他就消失了。
这次被骗的经历让我对网购产生了一段时间的戒心与畏惧。当时中国还有 eBay，家人偶尔在上面买东西，我总会提醒「看不见摸不着的，小心被骗」。家人还夸我有安全意识，孰不知我那是「一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳」。
回想起来，那个年代的互联网与现在最大的区别，恐怕就是它的开放程度与自由度。例如，我很早就开始用谷歌搜索，没有屏蔽词。还有最早的 QQ 秀、电子宠物其实是在雅虎上玩的，QQ 后来才上线这些功能。我的第一个电子邮箱就是雅虎的，因为觉得 “yahoo” 比 “gmail” 帅气。
QQ 我也注册得很早，不过老是忘记密码，陆陆续续注册过好几个。那个年代即时通讯软件层出不穷，微软的 MSN、雅虎通、飞信……但最终都没能撼动 QQ 的江湖地位。
早年的互联网生活必然少不了逛天涯论坛、西祠胡同这样的 BBS。百度贴吧这种后来者，始终被我们这样的「遗老遗少」瞧不上眼。天涯的一些帖子，在当时那个资讯还相对匮乏的年代，极大的丰富了我的视野。
此外，看电影也是必不可少。那时候还没有「版权」这一说，有很多电影资源站提供在线观看。当然都是些「正能量」的电影，少儿不宜的还是得去电驴下载。在那个网站上看得最多的是郭德纲的相声，那时候还叫「北京相声大会」。年轻的郭德纲是真的拼，段子也是真的好，新的相声层出不穷，不像现在几乎每场演出都是翻来覆去那几段。
周末，全家坐在电脑前看郭德纲，一边看，一边乐。我很怀念那个时候，已经很久没有跟父母一起坐下来看电影了。
博客刚进入中国的时候，有各式各样的博客网站，我注册过一些。毫不自夸地说，我是实打实写博客的老人。大浪淘沙的年代，博客网站陆续凋零后我转战到了新浪博客，之后又在 2012 年用 WordPress 搭建了第一个个人博客网站。后来几经迁移，目前停留在 Bear Blog。
我也很早就知道了 RSS，甚至在 Google Reader 出现之前。契机好像是为了弄清 RSS 图标是干什么的。后来用了 Google Reader 很多年，直到它关闭。虽然工具换了一个又一个，但我还是一直将 RSS 作为最主要的信息源收集工具。
或许正是因为很早接触到开放的网络、国外的网站和博客，催生了我的写作习惯。如果要找源头的话，现在我在互联网上的行为方式——写博客、用 RSS、追求开放的信息源——都能追溯到小时候最开始接触互联网的时候。有些行为模式是小时候建立的，然后没头没脑地一直坚持下来，现在想想，也挺有趣。
这也是为什么我觉得家里的孩子们——我的弟弟妹妹们，甚至下一代——他们所接触的互联网跟我那时候不一样，让我感到某种遗憾。我那个时候还有幸接触过自由开放的互联网，他们没有。当他们开始上网时，中国的互联网已经开始封闭。那种在无边界的网络世界里自由探索的快乐，那种接触多元信息源后视野被打开的震撼，恐怕他们很难再体会到了。
不过，每一代人都有自己的网络记忆吧。也许在他们眼中，我的怀旧，不过是另一种形式的「想当年」。
