The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical AphorismsThe Bed of Procrustes is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a world we don’t understand. The other books in the series are Fooled by Randomness, The Black Swan, Antifragile, and Skin in the Game. By the author of the modern classic The Black Swan, this collection of aphorisms and meditations expresses his major ideas in ways you least expect. The Bed of Procrustes takes its title from Greek mythology: the story of a man who made his visitors fit his bed to perfection by either stretching them or cutting their limbs. It represents Taleb’s view of modern civilization’s hubristic side effects—modifying humans to satisfy technology, blaming reality for not fitting economic models, inventing diseases to sell drugs, defining intelligence as what can be tested in a classroom, and convincing people that employment is not slavery. Playful and irreverent, these aphorisms will surprise you by exposing self-delusions you have been living with but never recognized. With a rare combination of pointed wit and potent wisdom, Taleb plows through human illusions, contrasting the classical values of courage, elegance, and erudition against the modern diseases of nerdiness, philistinism, and phoniness. “Taleb’s crystalline nuggets of thought stand alone like esoteric poems.”—Financial Times |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - BenKline - LibraryThingAn interesting collection of aphorisms and general sayings and ideas. A bit cynical, snarky, definitely anti-journalist, anti-politician, and such. Super quick read, despite the prologue telling you to only read four or so at a time. Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - ThothJ - LibraryThingInteresting and thought-provoking. A more in-depth review to follow. Read full review
Contents
PRELUDES | 3 |
MATTERS ONTOLOGICAL | 17 |
CHARMING AND LESS CHARMING SUCKER PROBLEMS | 33 |
THE UNIVERSAL AND THE PARTICULAR | 52 |
THE LUDIC FALLACY AND DOMAIN DEPENDENCE | 74 |
THE SAGE THE WEAK AND THE MAGNIFICENT | 93 |
Other editions - View all
The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms Nassim Nicholas Taleb Limited preview - 2016 |
The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms Nassim Nicholas Taleb Limited preview - 2010 |
The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms Nassim Nicholas Taleb No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
academic aphorism avoid become believe better Black Swan boring CHARMING classical comes complete consider conversation convince courage death detect difference don't economics economists effect ends error ethics expect explain expressing failure fool fragile give growing happiness hard harder harmful hate hear human idea imagination impress individuals intelligence interesting investment keep knowledge lack less literature live look magnificent markets mathematics matters means minds mistakes models narrative natural never opposite particular person philosopher places poet poetry powerful problem Procrustes profane random reduction religion replacement reverse rich risk robust sense short skills social someone starts stupid success sucker TALEB talk tell things thought truth understand unknown walk weak wisdom wise wonder worst write wrong