Concepts
Core concepts and building blocks referenced throughout this research framework. Definitions, frameworks, and ideas that recur across multiple explorations.
This section contains definitions and explanations of core concepts referenced throughout this research framework.
Concepts are the building blocks of the research — terms, frameworks, models, and ideas that recur across multiple explorations. A concept article defines a thing precisely, traces its origins, maps its relationships to other concepts, and explains what it rules in and rules out.
What Makes a Good Concept Article
A concept article should:
- Define clearly — give a crisp definition in the first paragraph
- Distinguish — explain what this concept is not, and how it differs from related concepts
- Connect — link to other concepts and topics in the framework using wikilinks
- Take a position — explain how the framework’s commitments relate to this concept
- Be reusable — written so that topic articles can link here instead of re-explaining
Concept articles are not essays or explorations. They are reference entries that support deeper work elsewhere.
How Concepts Differ from Topics
| Concepts | Topics |
|---|---|
| Define a building block | Explore a question or theme |
| Short to medium length | Medium to long |
| Reference material | Argument or exploration |
| Linked to from other articles | Links to concepts for definitions |
See Also
- See
obsidian/templates/example-concept.md— a template showing the format - Domain Commitments — the foundational stances that concepts must relate to
| Title | Created | Modified |
|---|---|---|
Overview Key Ideas steal like an artist, feel like a taoist “Steal Like an Artist, Feel Like a Taoist” combines Austin Kleon’s creativity manifesto with Taoist principles of effortless flow. It suggests approaching artistic creation through bold borrowing (like Kleon’s “steal”) while embodying Taoism’s wu wei—non-striving harmony.12
Steal Like an Artist Austin Kleon’s 2012 book urges creators to “steal” ideas ethically: collect inspirations from diverse sources, copy heroes to internalize their thinking, then transform into something authentic. Nothing is truly original; remix what resonates to fuel your work, avoiding plagiarism by making it your own.34561 | 2026-03-10 | 2026-03-10 |