Academia is to knowledge what prostitution is to love; close enough on the surface but, to the nonsucker, not exactly the same thing

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A central argument is never a summary. It is more like a generator.

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

All technology, really, is about maximizing free options.

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A mistake is not something to be determined after the fact, but in the light of the information until that point

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A prophet is not someone who first had an idea. He is the one to first believe in it and take it to its conclusion.

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A prophet is not someone with special visions, just someone blind to most of what others see

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A theory is like medicine (or government): often useless, sometimes necessary, always self-serving, and on occasion lethal. So it needs to be used with care, moderation and close adult supervision.

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Being self-owned is a state of mind.

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Doctors most commonly get mixed up between absence of evidence and evidence of sense

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

English does not distinguish between arrogant-up (irreverence toward the temporarily powerful) and arrogant-down (directed at the small guy).

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb