Range by David J. Epstein

The more details you know about something, the more confident you’ll be in your opinion and the more extreme that opinion will be.

In contrast with “forward thinking,” “lateral thinking” refers to any use of pre-existing knowledge in a new context. Specialists assume that new, undiscovered knowledge and technology is the key to innovation, but Epstein argues that this isn’t necessarily the case. Often, old ideas used in a new way are more valuable than cutting-edge discoveries

Epstein makes the case that starting late or switching fields is nothing to be ashamed of. No matter where you are in life, you have as good a chance as anyone to become one of the greats—your unique history may even give you the upper hand.

The Black Swan, the “Ludic Fallacy” refers to the misapplication of Stable Environment rules to an Unstable Environment. The word “Ludic” comes from the Latin word ludus, meaning “game,” as people falsely assume that the same strategies used to calculate probability within a game can be used in the real world.