Comments on: Notes from The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb

By: Glen

Glen — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:49:24 +0000

If you want to read a provocative book on personality tests, check out The Cult of Personality.

By: Mark Orfila

Mark Orfila — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:01:52 +0000

About personality tests, it’s so gratifying to know I’m not alone. I used to make my boss mad by calling it “the Chrisian zodiac.”

By: a deep lust

a deep lust — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:05:36 +0000

Interesting post, will be back to read more.

Was just think about that Taleb / Eco quote and came across your site because I didn’t want to retype it myself - thanks! [Although in end I lifted another version from a pdf]. Here’s why I wanted it, to go with this idea:

A series of three lectures from David Gross called “The Search for a Fundamental Theory of Reality” [Google, scroll down the Princeton page, April 2006], each about 1hr 40min. There’s no math, the guy speaks well, and he won a Nobel prize in physics - three things that rarely come together on the topic.

In the third lecture [1hr 15min in], Gross dismisses the idea of progress in science being like peeling an onion, getting closer and closer to the truth. Instead he sees knowledge as expanding outward, like a growing sphere.

Since ignorance exists at the boundary of knowledge, more knowledge = greater awareness of ignorance. But, thinking in terms of the sphere, we can see that the volume is knowledge and the surface is ignorance, leading to this formula: wisdom = knowledge / ignorance.

Now, I have no idea what Gross means by wisdom, but I like that image of learning [insert Taleb / Eco...]

By: Nicholette Tilghman

Nicholette Tilghman — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:24:24 +0000

This was so fun to read! I always appreciate your blogs and your ‘recent reads.’ I think my favorite thing you said was, “And this is why character and doctrine are always more important when screening ministry candidates than leadership aptitude. Assertive idiots lead people into spiritual disaster.” So true.

Miss you guys!

By: Celal

Celal — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:44:53 +0000

Hello Glen … and thank you for an interesting and amusing read. I myself have read Taleb’s other book and have reviewed it HERE in case you are interested. The concept of the Black Swan is an interesting one as well. Take care.