At the moment, there is no finished set of rules or meaningful corpus of work, but I do know that I want to operate according to a certain set of principles that will accompany me while I write here.
These are not final or absolute, which is precisely why they are called principles rather than rules. Principles are abstract guidelines; they are dynamic. Rules, on the other hand, are usually rigid and specific, with no exceptions. Principles seem better suited to the nature of this website.
The principles:
A. Artificial Intelligence
Do not hand the writing process over to an LLM. Writing is the thinking process itself — you must not allow someone else to think on your behalf, even when that “someone” is an advanced language model.
You may use AI for coding, research, or at the end of the writing process to correct spelling, grammar, syntax, or specific wording. You may ask for ideas, criticism, or alternative perspectives — never as a starting point, only as an endpoint.
As for translation, you may [and are encouraged to] use an LLM to translate source text into the other language [I just did that here btw], as long as you guide it to preserve the meaning, writing style, and tone of the original. Additionally, whenever AI has had a substantial impact on the writing or the content of a page, state it explicitly.
B. Hebrew in Hebrew, English in English
Do not mix languages without a good reason. When writing in Hebrew — write in Hebrew. When writing in English — write in English. Use foreign terms only when there is no reasonable equivalent, or when the original term communicates the idea more clearly.
Strive to give each language its own space. Make Avshalom Kor proud.
C. Do Not Confuse Facts, Assumptions, and Opinions
You do not have to be right. You have to be clear.
When something is a fact — say that it is a fact. When something is an assumption — say that it is an assumption. When something is a personal opinion — say that it is an opinion.
You must not create a situation in which the reader cannot distinguish between what you know, what you think, and what you merely suspect. The distinction between these categories should be exceptionally clear.
D. Write Simply
Do not use a complicated word when a simple one will do the job. Do not write in academic language simply to sound smarter. Do not hide behind professional jargon. Do not turn a simple idea into a complicated one through inflated prose.
The goal is clarity, not impression.
If an idea can be explained more simply — rewrite it.
E. A Draft is Better than Silence
Do not be afraid to publish unfinished work. Allow yourself to be wrong. Allow yourself to make mistakes in grammar. Allow yourself to write a partial essay.
Do not avoid publishing because you want to refine or improve something further. Do not wait for the perfect version — it does not exist. Remember: you can always come back to edit, delete, or rewrite. A page that was never published cannot be edited.
Additional principles will join this list over time. Some will change, some will be removed, and some will probably turn out to be far more important than they seem today.
In any case, this list is more flexible than the Ten Commandments and considerably easier to amend than the United States Constitution — there is no dogma, no ratification process, and no committees here. Change the text, git push, and viola, done!