The word attracted me at once. I spotted it in the title of an article in the last issue of MIT’s Technology Review,[1] which deals with new intelligence software that helps investigators discover patterns and wring meaning from a chaos of clues. Currently, there are half-a-dozen such packages in development. Of course, the focus was on international terrorism, as witnessed by the article’s title: “Can Sensemaking Keep Us Safe?” In my mind, I replaced “safe” with “sane” without much ado. The two words are not very far apart, anyhow. If emerging technology can help me derive meaning from fragmentary evidence, I am all for it. Yes, I had my own writings in mind. Is there any software that can help me make sense of more than one-million words written over several decades and thus keep me on the straight and narrow? Although the article ultimately disappointed my curiosity, the notion of sensemaking will stay with me. On the World Wide Web, my Residua is implemented as a database management system. Sensemaking software will sooner or later become available commercially to help me understand my own opus. Such software would help me organize my thinking and keep me from jumping to conclusions too soon. That is the main problem with the human mind—it tends to jump to conclusions all too readily. At any rate, the software would classify everything with my help, or that of anyone else, and then link all the pieces that have something in common. The resulting network would be of great help in maintaining and developing my writing. One way or another, I now have something to look forward to from advances in computer technology. The connection with international terrorism is vaguely pleasing, too. My book already promises to be ever-so-slightly dangerous!

Footnote

1. Vol. 106, No. 2, March 2003.