A couple of years ago I started thinking of pursuing what I thought of as little 'projects', particularly with regard to my reading. I suppose I was experimenting with ways of giving a bit more purpose & direction to the life of the mind, given an enhanced consciousness of my years being numbered. I figured that the notion might help me prioritise my limited allowance of time.
But I'm doubtful that this idea has real legs. As an example, I've just abandoned a project to get myself broadly up to speed in the field of cognitive science. I think it's reasonable to make the claim that I'm fairly well-informed of matters pertaining to the workings of the mind, but not in any systematic manner. And I'd intended to reread all the stuff on my shelves related to the field and make a determined effort this time round to remember stuff. So I picked up Gazzaniga's Human: The Science Behind What Makes Your Brian Unique a few months back for a slow but purposeful read to make sure the key points really went in this time round. (Which I knew had not been the case on my first reading some ten years ago - I think it was.) And now I'm at the halfway point, and much as I've enjoyed the reread I know that I still don't really know what I think I know. Yes, I understand this stuff conceptually; no, I couldn't teach it to anyone else.
I can see a possible solution: to make systematic notes and commit these to memory. But I'm afraid I don't quite see the point, since I'm not in any way seeking to become some kind of accredited practitioner in this area. So I'll carry on reading and enjoying and vaguely remembering but generally forgetting.
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