Beyond RAG: Building a Knowledge Management System That Enhances Rather Than Replaces Thought
I've been thinking a lot lately about where Zettelgarden fits into the long history of how humans manage and interact with knowledge. From Socrates worrying that writing would destroy memory, to today's debates about AI-generated content, we've always struggled with how much of our thinking we should outsource to tools. While building Zettelgarden, I've had to wrestle with these same questions: What parts of note-taking should we digitize? What aspects should remain firmly in human hands? And most importantly, how do I create a tool that enhances rather than replaces human thought?
My journey with note-taking systems began traditionally enough - with paper cards and physical filing systems. When I eventually made the switch to digital (documented in a previous post), it wasn't a simple "upgrade." Instead, I found myself constantly comparing what I gained and lost in the transition.
The benefits of digital were obvious: searching through thousands of notes instantly, copying and linking without physical constraints, and being able to access everything from anywhere. But something less tangible was lost in the process.
