The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

In The Black Swan, Nassim Nicholas Taleb introduces the concept of Black Swan events—rare, unpredictable occurrences that have massive impact and are often rationalized with hindsight. Taleb explores how human cognition and societal structures are ill-equipped to handle such events, leading to systemic fragility. He argues for embracing uncertainty and building systems that are robust to unforeseen shocks. Drawing from philosophy, history, and personal anecdotes, Taleb challenges readers to rethink risk, knowledge, and decision-making in an unpredictable world.