The concept of via negativa comes from theology as one way to describe God by what God is not (e.g., without limit, ineffable, immutable). Nasim Nicholas Taleb (author of Incerto on the Related Perspectives Reading List) applies via negativa to show how to make anything durable (anti-fragile) by removal of the unnecessary. In practical terms, Taleb’s explanation of this profound idea: Less is More. Adding the unnecessary has multiplicative downside effects, even if those multiplicative side-effects may not reveal themselves for some time.
Negative Leads to Positive
Negative Leads to Positive
Negative Leads to Positive
The concept of via negativa comes from theology as one way to describe God by what God is not (e.g., without limit, ineffable, immutable). Nasim Nicholas Taleb (author of Incerto on the Related Perspectives Reading List) applies via negativa to show how to make anything durable (anti-fragile) by removal of the unnecessary. In practical terms, Taleb’s explanation of this profound idea: Less is More. Adding the unnecessary has multiplicative downside effects, even if those multiplicative side-effects may not reveal themselves for some time.