meaningmeaning-in-context
I understand to the first comma, but I cannot understand the rest.
You may need to change some habits and expectations, but besides that I do not see any reason why you wouldn’t benefit from reading this book if your goal is to make games with this tool.
How can I interpret it?
I think that the following part may be the reason I don't understand the whole meaning.
but besides that
Thanks!
The dictionary defines polarization thus:
polarisation (Noun)
1 The production or condition of polarity, as:
a. A process or state in which rays of light exhibit different properties in different directions, especially the state in which all the vibration takes place in one plane.
b. The partial or complete polar separation of positive and negative electric charge in a nuclear, atomic, molecular, or chemical system.
2 A concentration, as of groups, forces, or interests, about two conflicting or contrasting positions.
In your sentence, the author is (mis)using the second meaning. The author is attempting to invoke the concentration part of the definition without also making use of the two conflicting or contrasting positions part of the definition.
Consequently the two following sentences are equivalent:
Those costs include an increasing polarisation of resources towards specific knowledge and expertise
Those costs include an increasing concentration of resources towards specific areas of knowledge and expertise.
In context, the author is commenting on the fact that resources (which in papers is often synonymous with money) being concentrated into certain small areas of special interest, instead of being spread thinly over the sector as a whole.
“what it means for {something} to be {something}”
Explained shortly: We have something. What is special / specific about that something which makes it different from something else, even if they are similar?
Example-1: We have a carrot. What makes the carrot to be a carrot? What is specific to the carrot that makes it different from parsley?
When we say that a certain object changes, we mean that it had a certain property beforehand and after the change it does not.
Example-1 (Cont'd): We have an orange carrot. Even if we look at a purple carrot, it is still a carrot, it still cannot be confused with parsley or celery. So, in spite of changing the color, the nature of the carrot did not change.
So, the nature of the object (the carrot) is not changed, even if some change occurred (the color).
The property beforehand: color orange.
The property after: color purple.
NOTE: We assume (most likely, against scientific knowledge) that an orange carrot can become purple. Artificially it may be possible, by feeding it some pigmented water.
Example-2: A child (human) transforms into an adult (human), but the nature (human) does not change.
(image taken from Burpee catalog on Mar. 19, 2019)
Best Answer
The sentence is written somewhat clumsily. But here's what it means:
In the sentence, "besides that" means "other than the (possible) need to change habits and expectations". The word "that" refers to the need to change habits and expectations. The word "besides" means "other than, apart from, in addition to".
Here's why the writing is clumsy. The fact that you may need to change habits and expectations is a very weak reason to think that you wouldn't benefit from reading the book. If I understand it correctly, the need to change habits and expectations results from the nature of the tool, not from the book. So, the meaning of "besides that" is a little hard to figure out. To figure it out, you need to understand that the sentence is talking about reasons why you wouldn't benefit from reading the book, which doesn't come until later. Also, the sentence actually gives another reason why you might not benefit from reading the book: if your goal is not to make games using the tool!
It would be simpler and clearer to write:
and then explain something about that change in habits and expectations. It might be even clearer to omit the sentence altogether. There's no need to suggest that the reader wouldn't benefit from reading the book.