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Quote of the Day: Theory and Practice
“For real people, if something works in theory, but not in practice, it doesn’t work. For academics, if something works in practice, but not in theory, it doesn’t exist.” — Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Have we seen this today, in recent events? I think so. It is not a new phenomenon. In the late 17th and 18th century, scurvy was a menace during long sea voyages. Oddly enough, preventative treatment was known in the late 16th and early 17th centuries: citrus and teas made from spruce needles. However, these cures were rejected as “folk medicine” by the medical academics of the day because it clashed with then-accepted medical theory. Instead, useless but “scientific” remedies, such as vinegar and malt were substituted, the folk remedies forgotten, and generations of sailors suffered scurvy. After all, the science was settled. Not until just after the American Revolution did Dr. James Lind discover (or rather rediscovered) the benefits of citrus, and the scourge was ended.
Similarly, ulcers were attributed to spicy food for generations, until a doctor — after years of scorn and denigration — demonstrated they were caused by bacterial infections. After all, the science was settled.
Sound familiar?
Published in General
Wow, that is a great quote. Smart guy, Mr. Taleb.
Yes, yes it does.
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This brings to mind a quote attributed to Yogi Berra: “In theory, there’s no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.”🙂
Related quote from somebody: “The trouble with pragmatism is it doesn’t work.”
There are so many bad ideas that could go after the word “with”…
Except for his ideas on GMOs.