Nassim Taleb - Black Swan VIII

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Questions and Answers

What was the term used to describe practitioners who avoided action due to the limits of medical knowledge until the 1960s?

Scientific conservatism

Therapeutic nihilism (correct)

Iatrogenic philosophy

Medical skepticism

What does the term 'iatrogenics' refer to?

The study of diseases

The harm caused by healers (correct)

The benefits of medical treatments

The history of medicine

Which ancient cultures are mentioned as having a built-in respect for the limits of knowledge?

Chinese and Indian

Norse and Celtic

Mesoamerican and Persian

Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Arabs (correct)

Which philosopher pondered the delay of the concept 'Do no harm' until the 1950s?

Georges Canguilhem Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern associated with type 1 error?

False positives Signup and view all the answers

What role did religion play in relation to medical treatments according to the content?

It served to control the illusion of control. Signup and view all the answers

What significant social change occurred in medicine post-Enlightenment?

Growth in confidence of scientific knowledge Signup and view all the answers

Which treatise does the author refer to that discussed iatrogenics?

On Medical Knowledge by Al-Ruhawi Signup and view all the answers

What major problem related to knowledge did Bishop Huet address?

The possibility of knowledge through induction Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher's ideas was Huet's work later associated with?

David Hume Signup and view all the answers

What subject did Victor Brochard's doctoral thesis, published in 1878, focus on?

The concept of error Signup and view all the answers

Who attacked the beliefs of Menodotus in their writings?

Galen Signup and view all the answers

Which historical figure was noted as a potential influence on Brochard’s understanding of empiricism?

Menodotus of Nicomedia Signup and view all the answers

What was one characteristic of Brochard’s description of skeptics?

They were the only honourable philosophers. Signup and view all the answers

In what year did Pierre-Daniel Huet complete his work that discusses induction?

1690 Signup and view all the answers

What did Huet suggest regarding human knowledge and certainty?

Human knowledge is limited due to infinite causes. Signup and view all the answers

What term is used in Stoic philosophy to describe the self-sufficiency and resilience to adverse events?

Apatheia Signup and view all the answers

How did Seneca respond to the order from Emperor Nero to commit suicide?

He executed it with composure. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Latin word 'vale' convey in the context of Seneca's writings?

Be strong or robust Signup and view all the answers

In the context presented, what is the primary meaning of the term 'bell curve'?

Normal distribution in statistics Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested by the term 'Platonicity' as used in the content?

A critique of essentialism Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'empiricist' imply according to the content?

Skepticism of generalizations and theory Signup and view all the answers

How does the visual representation of the bell curve in histogram form affect the perception of rare events?

It diminishes their visibility. Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of being described as an 'empirical researcher' in statistics according to the provided content?

They rely on past theories exclusively. Signup and view all the answers

What does prospect theory describe about the negative domain of losses?

It is less painful to experience one significant loss than multiple small losses. Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher's work addresses the asymmetry between good and bad random events?

Kahneman and Tversky Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key findings of McLure et al. (2004) regarding decision-making?

Cortical activity is involved in the decision to defer rewards. Signup and view all the answers

How does E.O. Wilson view optimality in evolution concerning rare events?

He believes that optimality is not relevant to rare events. Signup and view all the answers

According to Csikszentmihalyi's theory, what is the appeal of steady payoffs?

They create a flow state of engagement. Signup and view all the answers

What does the research by Chen et al. (2005) focus on regarding preferences?

Neurological preferences in Capuchin monkeys. Signup and view all the answers

What concept related to discontinuities is classified by René Thom?

Seven classes of discontinuities and jumps. Signup and view all the answers

Why is the 'bleed' experience considered painful according to Sapolsky's research?

It is explained by dull stress effects. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary criticism leveled against Kahneman and his colleagues by the general theorist mentioned?

Their ideas hinder the development of general equilibrium theory. Signup and view all the answers

According to the Athenian Stranger in Plato's Laws, what is the problem with the use of hands?

Nurses and mothers create differences through bad habits. Signup and view all the answers

What do drug companies do according to the text?

They follow the methods of Wall Street analysts. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'grue paradox' refer to in the context provided?

A philosophical question regarding projectibility. Signup and view all the answers

How is mathematics perceived in relation to economics based on the information given?

It is necessary only for certain economists to protect their credibility. Signup and view all the answers

What is the stance of general theorists towards psychological theories in the context of economic models?

They find psychological theories irrelevant to economic modeling. Signup and view all the answers

What realization does the personal essayist Montaigne illustrate with the reference to biographies?

They lack substantial content for true understanding. Signup and view all the answers

What critique is offered around the concept of certification versus true skills or knowledge?

Certification may overshadow actual skills and understanding. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Iatrogenics and Therapeutic Nihilism

Practitioners who were conservative and doubted the effectiveness of medical interventions were labeled as "therapeutic nihilists" until the 1960s.
The term "iatrogenics," which refers to the harm caused by medical treatment, is not widely discussed, even within the medical field.
The concept of "Do no harm" was not widely adopted in modern medicine until the 1950s.
The idea of iatrogenics is not new, as ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Arabs acknowledged the limitations of knowledge and potential harms of medical intervention.
The Middle Eastern philosopher and doctor Al-Ruhawi wrote a treatise about iatrogenics, highlighting the awareness of this concept in Mediterranean cultures.
Religion might have served as a protective measure against potential medical harm by offering a way to cope with suffering without seeking medical intervention.

Stoicism and the Limits of Knowledge

Stoicism emphasized the importance of accepting the limits of knowledge and the potential for adverse events.
Stoics believed in attaining a state of "apatheia," meaning indifference towards external events, including one's own life.
Seneca, a Stoic philosopher, remained calm and prepared for death when ordered to commit suicide by Emperor Nero.
The word "vale," used by Seneca at the end of his essays, has roots in "value" and "valor" and signifies strength and worthiness.

Key Concepts and Their Origins

The term "bell curve" refers to the Gaussian bell curve, a statistical term for normal distribution.
The term "platonicity" refers to the risk of assuming a predetermined form or essentialism, rather than recognizing the limitations of our understanding.
Empiricism is often used to refer to an approach that is skeptical of generalizations and hasty theorizing.
Bishop Pierre-Daniel Huet, writing in 1690, presented a clear explanation of the problem of induction, later known as "Hume's problem."
Victor Brochard, a French philosopher, understood the problem of falsification in skepticism, which is similar to Karl Popper's philosophy, several decades before Popper's birth.
The term "epilogism" refers to a specific type of reasoning or judgment based on experience.
Hyman Minsky's work explores the concept of financial instability and the potential for economic crises.

Asymmetry and Evolutionary Considerations

Prospect theory explains the asymmetry between the perception of losses and gains, where losses are perceived as more impactful than gains.
Research on the neural correlates of asymmetry demonstrates brain activity associated with processing positive and negative experiences.
Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi's theory of "flow" explains the attractiveness of consistent rewards and its relationship to brain activity.
The neurology of deferred rewards highlights the brain regions associated with impulsivity and delayed gratification.
The term "bleed or blowup" describes the potential for gradual decay or sudden collapse in complex systems.
The theory of evolution often assumes optimality in natural selection, but E.O. Wilson argues that evolutionary processes are not always optimized for rare events.

Other Notable Concepts

The grue paradox illustrates the challenge of inductive reasoning and the problem of projecting past observations into the future.
Constructionism emphasizes the social and cultural constructions of knowledge and reality.
The dominance of mathematics in economics can act as a barrier to entry and a way to maintain control over the field.

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Description

Explore the historical perspectives on iatrogenics and therapeutic nihilism in medicine. This quiz delves into the evolution of medical practices, the significance of the phrase 'do no harm', and the philosophical underpinnings from Stoicism. Learn about ancient perspectives and how they shaped modern medical ethics.