Pile of Index Cards

Ref. : In my blog ‘Mathematical approach for daily problem‘

Professor of mathematics in Stanford University.

He worked on a great variety of mathematical topics, including series, number theory, combinatorics, and probability. In his later days, he spent considerable effort on trying to characterize the general methods that people use to solve problems, and to describe how problem-solving should be taught and learned (source : Wikipedia, George Pólya). In his book “How to solve it”, he gave general strategy to solve given mathematical problem.

Personally, I call him as ‘Pólya Sensei (Dear Teacher Pólya)’ in my mind, though I have never met him. :)

Book : How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method,
new ed., 2004 (Japanese version is here).

In mathematics, solving problem become easier if one follows a certain strategy. George Pólya showed such general strategy in his book “How to Solve It”.

His strategy is especially useful when one must solve a problem which answer is unknown yet. It is like a compass in a deep dark forest.

Although his strategy is originally for mathematical problem, it can be applied for problems in our daily life. Because we sometimes don’t know exact answer. In his strategy, following points are quite useful.

• Understand the problem : Ask yourself ‘What are the unknowns? What are the given quantities? What are the given conditions?’
• Draw a diagram : Picture, graph, mind map. Understand the problem visually.
• Find similar problem : You may experience similar problem before. Most of time you don’t need to start from zero.
• Solve related problem : If you can’t solve the problem, try to solve related problem.
• Verify your answer : To increase reliability of your answer. Especially important when you don’t know exact answer.

ref : G. Polya and “How to Solve It!” (PDF file at Ohio State University)

• Interest : Be genuinely interested in other people
• Smile : :)
• Name : Remember and use people’s names
• Listen : Encourage others to talk about themselves and listen to them
• Interest : Discuss what the other person is interested in
• Praise : Make the other person feel important

Source : Dale Carnegie, How to win friends and influence people,
in Japanese, new ed., 1999 (photo @ flickr).
(English version quote from Wikipedia)

To remember ‘SLIP IN to ones heart’.

I had used computer mainly for my writing and thinking during graduate school. I believed digital world is perfect. I rarely hand-write that time.

One day, I surprised that I can’t remember Kanji (Chinese character). On input Kanji on computer, it shows candidates for translation to Kanji. All I need is just choose appropriate Kanji from the candidates. It is like difference between ‘reading’ and ‘writing’ or ‘hearing’ and ‘doing’.

My colleagues, computer nerd, also complained this problem. We were twenteenager (?) at that time, too early to lose memory. It is obviously come from computer dependence.

Perhaps this problem is special case for Japanese, it is enough to motivate me to return to hand-writing. Memory about Kanji is getting better. And now I believe, from my experience, hand-writing do enhances memory. :)

Japanese use three kind of writing system for writing ; Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.

Kanji was introduced from China to Japan in 5-6 century. Now Japanese student learn about a thousand of Kanji in elementary school. Usually, Japanese use nearly two thousand of Kanji in daily life (souce : Wikipedia, Jyoyo Kanji). Hiragana and Katakana is derived from Kanji, and there is 104 cases each (Wikipedia, Hiragana). Because of this complicated system, writing in Japanese on computer is more difficult than alphabet system.

We need following procedure for writing on computer,

Input Hiragana -> Translation to Kanji -> Choose from candidates -> Decision

This procedure is repeated for every word. Thinking is interrupted by this complicated input method.

Hand-writing is much much easier and faster than computer for me. It connects thinking (brain) and writing (hand) more properly.

Ref. : In my blog ‘PEACE Method : Five steps to solve Problem‘

Professor of philosophy at The City College of New York.

A philosophy has long history since ancient Greek, time of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The word ‘Philosophy’ itself sounds me something difficult. Prof. Marinoff, however, applied it to solve a problem in our daily life. His ‘PEACE’ method is easy to remember. It is practical, useful and helpful.

Book : Plato, not Prozac! - Applying eternal wisdom to everyday problem
Website : Lou Marinoff’s official web site

1. Problem
2. Emotion
3. Analysis
4. Contemplation
5. Equilibrium

Source : Lou Marinoff, Plato, not prozac!, 2002.

The Emotion always comes just after problem happens. You may worry or be anxious about the Problem. But it is natural for everybody. To solve problem, what is important is don’t stop at the Emotion and go to third step, Analysis, and further.

When I was child, I do loved to play LEGO brick. It is piece by piece, as you know, with various color and shape. It is possible to build almost anything.

Writing an indexcard is somewhat like making a piece of brick. After accumulation of indexcard, the set can be organized/reorganized to build something larger structure, e.g. report, paper, book etc..

To realize such re-usability, a contents of single indexcard must be concise. I think the size of 5×3 indexcard is the best for this purpose.

I found that opened door trigger peple to drop by my office.

I had closed the door of my office because of air-conditioner last week. Then nobody drop by my office. After I open the door, even though few tens of centimeter, people start to drop by my office again.

It is somewhat like atmosphere of my office vacuums people inside.
Or, perhaps, the door may symbolize our mind is open or not.

Upset or fun ; it depends on our mind. Do not bother with trifles. Rather, let’s make something productive.

Source : Carnegie, 1999b (@flickr).

Frequency of access dramatically decreases with distance.

It is maximum at about 50 cm. If you see a circle origins you, you see your coffee-cup is in the circle with radius of 50 cm. The frequency is half of maximum at 100 cm, that is, length of arm.

To make increase productivity, pen and indexcard should be within the 50 cm circle.

Do what you love, such as internet surfing, writing blog, watching DVD, reading book, anything your favorite things, not in midnight, but in early morning.

source : シゴタノ (in Japanese)

• Detective
• Pressman
• Field Scientist

Someone who has an effect on someone else’s life. Reliability of the information is an important matter. No ambiguity allowed. They know human memory is not reliable at all.