I am writing a book on natural information architecture and mental models — and sharing the story as it unfolds. The preface and first chapter are good places to start. Last year, I wrote an article on the idea for the book and began sharing my sources of inspiration (e.g., mental models, surfaces and essences,Keep reading

In A World Appears (2026), Michael Pollan explores consciousness from scientific, philosophical, literary, personal, psychedelic, and spiritual perspectives. Science, organized around objective third-person measurement, was ill-equipped to explain a phenomenon that was inherently subjective, qualitative, and internal. Materialism is the metaphysical belief that everything, including our mental states, can be explained in terms of matter.Keep reading

Information Architecture (or the “polar bear book”) explains how to organize, structure, and label information across digital channels so users can find and understand it. Information architecture is the structural design of shared information environments. (24) The relationship between words and meaning is tricky at best. (24) The abstract idea of chess is more “real”Keep reading

In How Emotions Are Made (2017), Lisa Feldman Barrett argues that emotions aren’t universal reflexes but predictive categories shaped by context, culture, and language. Our emotions, according to the classical view, are artifacts of evolution, having long ago been advantageous for survival, and are now a fixed component of our biological nature. (xi) Emotions areKeep reading

Winter is coming. The cold is hard on all of us at Sentient Sanctuary. It takes a lot to keep our animals warm and safe. So, in celebration of #GivingTuesday, we hope you’ll help us to reach our 2025 Animal Care Goal (to give via PayPal or Venmo, see How To Help). Our first fullKeep reading