43 pages 1 hour read

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2012

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

What is the role of ethics and morality in Taleb’s concept of antifragility? How does he critique systems that allow people to profit from taking risks without bearing the full consequences of their actions, which may in themselves be ethically dubious? Support your answer with direct evidence from the text.

2.

How does Taleb’s definition of antifragility relate to traditional notions of risk and resilience? Support your response by citing examples of systems or organisms that Taleb considers to be antifragile.

3.

What are some potential criticisms of Taleb’s concept of antifragility? How might it be difficult to apply his ideas to certain contexts, or to measure and quantify antifragility? In your response, make sure to name at least two-three main criticisms, citing specific examples and quotations from the text.