Category Archives for Introduction

Facebook & Video Games: An Introduction to the Narrative Fallacy


“I am a god. Level ten all alone!”

My brother’s face glowed blue from the television as he completed another level in the Call of Duty minigame. The fact that most people sleep at 3 a.m. didn’t phase his concentration as he simultaneously killed zombies and trashed talked his friends. His confidence rose as he continued to level up.

Social video games have exploded in recent years, and scientists have been trying to understand how they affect our brains. A review of the literature seems to reveal that the pattern recognition and resource management required to play most games will exercise a gamer’s cognitive functioning. In teenagers, active participation in social networks helps in the formation of a unique identity.

Does this justify playing video games? The short answer is no, for two primary reasons: the narrative fallacy and the nerd effect.

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Wall Street and Sports Betting: An Introduction to the Ludic Fallacy

Casino Dice
(Photo: @ Alex)

A headline in Wired’s November 2010 issue reads, “Wall Street Firm Uses Algorithms to Make Sports Betting Like Stock Trading.” After reading the article, I’m not sure if this development is good or bad for skeptical empiricists.

The headline left me with a fleeting impression; at first I brushed the story off as another silly antic from the inescapable depths of the ludic fallacy. I figured that this article, like any other sensationalized media, overstated the significance of the story. Unfortunately, after reading the article, the opposite rang true. Continue reading →

Ready to Fail

When I neared the end of Nassim Nicholas Taleb‘s book, “The Black Swan” I went looking for a gathering of skeptical empiricists. I did not find you folks after a few cursory searches so I decided to create my own little place.

I’m an artist and an optimist. The name of my company is Happy Accident Productions. When Mr. Taleb mentioned the “positive accident” my face lit up. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I was a participant in a happy accident at the very beginning of my life. Born to an unwed mother, I was put up for adoption. I’ve been uncertain about my fate ever since.

Considering this is the 14th blog I have created, who knows how long it will last. Of the other 13, only 2 are still in existence and even those I don’t update with any regularity. Consider the potential infrequency of posting on this blog to be an unplanned asset. Anyone deciding to subscribe won’t be overloaded with too much information.

I’m not an economist. It took me a great deal of concentration to remember some of the terms in Mr. Taleb’s book. This is why I am a slow reader. I had to keep going back and rereading about the “confirmation bias”. I prefer to slog through the world and try out lessons. I like interacting with people online. Rather than spend all my time reading dozens of books about this great mind or that, I prefer to put my best effort into this blog, start-up a conversation and see where it takes me.

A failed effort is better than the “perfect” scenario never ventured. The mental distraction of perfection is something Ze Frank dubbed Brain Crack. Ever since watching that brilliant kick in the pants I’ve been running through life failing at every opportunity I get.