--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a textbook case of naive empiricism…" description: "\"“In a textbook case of naive empiricism, the author also looked for traits these millionaires had in common and figured out that they shared a taste fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_books_in-a-textbook-case-of-naive-empiricism-t_310130.png" --- # In a textbook case of naive empiricism, the author also… ![“In a textbook case of naive empiricism, the author also looked for traits these millionaires had in common and figured out that they shared a taste for risk taking. Clearly risk taking is necessary for large success—but it is also necessary for failure. Had the author done the same study on…” quote by Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_books_in-a-textbook-case-of-naive-empiricism-t_310130.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_books_in-a-textbook-case-of-naive-empiricism-t_310130.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_books_in-a-textbook-case-of-naive-empiricism-t_310130.png) > ““In a textbook case of naive empiricism, the author also looked for traits these millionaires had in common and figured out that they shared a taste for risk taking. Clearly risk taking is necessary for large success—but it is also necessary for failure. Had the author done the same study on bankrupt citizens he would certainly have found a predilection for risk taking.”” [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Risk‑taking is a double‑edged trait: it fuels both extraordinary success and catastrophic failure; studying only successful risk‑takers gives a biased view. **In simple terms:** Risk leads to both big wins and big losses. Key Takeaway Balance risk with awareness of potential downsides. Themes risk success failure bias entrepreneurship Mood analytical cautious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - investment decisions - startup founding - career planning - policy making - risk assessment Key Concepts probability naive empiricism selection bias decision theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we identify healthy risk? - What safeguards reduce failure from risk? A Different Perspective Risk alone doesn’t guarantee success; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risk taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-taking/) ## Related quotes > [It is also naïve empiricism to provide, in support of some argument, series of eloquent confirmatory quotes by dead authorities. By searching, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-is-also-na-ve-empiricism-to-provide-in-support-of-some-argument/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The essence of success is that it is never necessary to think of a new idea oneself. 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You've got to take that step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaycie-phelps/the-only-risk-is-not-taking-the-risk-you-ve-got-to-take-that-step/) Jaycie Phelps ## More by Nassim Nicholas Taleb > [To become a philosopher, start by walking very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/to-become-a-philosopher-start-by-walking-very-slowly/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Wittgenstein's ruler: Unless you have confidence in the ruler's reliability, if you use a ruler to measure a table you may also be using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/wittgenstein-s-ruler-unless-you-have-confidence-in-the-ruler-s/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My nightmare scenario is that the government saves Citibank once again, as well as the other banks, and business resumes as usual. 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