The etymology makes sense. Perhaps the issue is that mind-hanger makes it sound like it is the thing doing the hanging rather than the thing being hung upon. Perhaps “pre-existing mental hooks” is closer.
Even this still feels slightly off because the name feels like it implies those concepts exist for the purpose of being hooks rather than happening to be the most suitable concepts to build upon. So perhaps “hookable concepts” or something. “Hook points.” Those don’t sound great, but conceptually they feel like they fit better maybe.
When you go to teach someone something new, you should try to find suitable hookable points in their pre-existing knowledge. Or something.
I suppose a “coat-hanger” is something which is hung upon and mind-hanger kept raising that concept in analogy to mind hanger, but the analogy to coat hanger feels weird still.
I use the term “conceptual hook” explaining that you’ve got to give people a hook to hang their understanding on. How does it link or anchor to the real world?
The etymology makes sense. Perhaps the issue is that mind-hanger makes it sound like it is the thing doing the hanging rather than the thing being hung upon. Perhaps “pre-existing mental hooks” is closer.
Even this still feels slightly off because the name feels like it implies those concepts exist for the purpose of being hooks rather than happening to be the most suitable concepts to build upon. So perhaps “hookable concepts” or something. “Hook points.” Those don’t sound great, but conceptually they feel like they fit better maybe.
When you go to teach someone something new, you should try to find suitable hookable points in their pre-existing knowledge. Or something.
I suppose a “coat-hanger” is something which is hung upon and mind-hanger kept raising that concept in analogy to mind hanger, but the analogy to coat hanger feels weird still.
Looking for an anchor?
A base point—solid rather than dangling …
Nice ya anchor seems like a better image than hanger, and Paul Graham could have just as easily written “something to anchor my mind on”.
I use the term “conceptual hook” explaining that you’ve got to give people a hook to hang their understanding on. How does it link or anchor to the real world?