The tacit dimension
by Michael Polanyi · first published 1966
63% recommend38% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A short introduction to tacit knowledge, the idea that we know more than we can say. It uses examples from skills such as calligraphy and writing to illustrate the concept, and serves as a starting point on the topic.
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…made science a relativized discipline. Polanyi lectured on this topic for decades before Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." [2] If you haven't checked out Polanyi yet, look up The Tacit Dimension — a very short book that talks about "tacit knowledge" (also discussed in uky.edu page, with attribution). [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Polanyi [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kuhn#Polanyi%E2%80%93Ku...
on “Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions – outline (2013)” ↗The Tacit Dimension, Michael Polanyi, 1966 https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo603536... Programming and Tacit Knowledge https://mbuffett.com/posts/all-tacit-knowledge/ Tacit Knowledge blogpost series,…
on “Theory-building and why employee churn is lethal to software companies” ↗I consider Michael Polanyi's works to be very important in a certain way. MP's The Tacit Dimension (1966, ~120pp) is a good introduction to his ideas about "Tacit knowledge", i.e. 'we can know more than we can tell', e.g. facial recognition. , A quick and enjoyable read that might appeal to many in…
on “Ask HN: What are the best unknown books you have read?” ↗Michael Polanyi's "The Tacit Dimension" is a good starting point on the concept.
on “Tacit knowledge is more important than deliberate practice” ↗…often often refer to a very complex natural environment we must also perceive and comprehend. That amazing capability was not constructed. For a shorter intro to Polanyi's thoughts, try 1964 book The Tacit Dimension. Not ruling out AGI as possible. The question is whether we will be able to communicate with it if its referents are very different from ours. And then there's the question: why would it cooperate rather…
on “Why general artificial intelligence will not be realized (2020)” ↗Polanyi's work "The Tacit Dimension" is one of my favorites! You can teach calligraphy fundamentals, the principles of hardness and grinding, but it's hard to tell someone how to use a pencil to write. You never think of how you use it…
on “The Fourth Quadrant of Knowledge” ↗See also: Polanyi, Personal Knowledge and The Tacit Dimension.
on “Special Sciences: The Disunity of Science as a Working Hypothesis (1974) [pdf]” ↗…its information without consciously performing the act of reading.. Computer scientist, economist, and Nobelist Herb Simon calls this phenomenon "compiling"; philosopher Michael Polanyi calls it the "tacit dimension"; psychologist TK Gibson calls it "visual invariants"; philosophers Georg Gadamer and Martin Heidegger call it "the horizon" and the "ready-to-hand", John Seely Brown at PARC calls it the "periphery".…
on “Chronos Will Turn Any Watch into a Smartwatch” ↗I've read The Tacit Dimension but I'd be interested to know what are your favourite Polanyi links or writings?
on “Two stories about tacit knowledge” ↗…its information without consciously performing the act of reading.. Computer scientist, economist, and Nobelist Herb Simon calls this phenomenon "compiling"; philosopher Michael Polanyi calls it the "tacit dimension"; psychologist TK Gibson calls it "visual invariants"; philosophers Georg Gadamer and Martin Heidegger call it "the horizon" and the "ready-to-hand", John Seely Brown at PARC calls it the "periphery".…
on “Humanist Interface: The Entrenchment of Modern Minimalism” ↗Michael Polanyi[1] introduced the topic of tacit knowledge in his short book (100 pages), "The Tacit Dimension". The blog series only mentions Polanyi in passing in its third article. And only indirectly references his book in a dismissive tone, because "this blog is a practitioner's blog: it is interested in…
on “Tacit knowledge is more important than deliberate practice” ↗Sure. Polanyi is easy. He wrote a trio of short, accessible, and engaging books outlining his ideas: Science, Faith, and Society (1946), Personal Knowledge (1958), and The Tacit Dimension (1966). He was a true polymath, and very up-to-date with psychological science of his day; I would be interested in your thoughts as a specialist. Rosmini is hard. He was a very bad writer, and wrote…
on “Intuition is a “superpower”” ↗…its information without consciously performing the act of reading.. Computer scientist, economist, and Nobelist Herb Simon calls this phenomenon "compiling"; philosopher Michael Polanyi calls it the "tacit dimension"; psychologist TK Gibson calls it "visual invariants"; philosophers Georg Gadamer and Martin Heidegger call it "the horizon" and the "ready-to-hand", John Seely Brown at PARC calls it the "periphery".…
on “Calm Technology” ↗