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Mental Models For Geeks (Gabriel Weinberg)

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Mental Models For Geeks (Gabriel Weinberg)

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1. False Cause

A Result That Indicates A Given Condition Has Been Fulfilled - When It Actually Has Not Been Fulfilled...A Test Result Indicates That A Condition Failed - While It Actually Was Successful - I.E. Erroneously No Effect Has Been Assumed.Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)

2. Appeal To Emotion

A Result That Indicates A Given Condition Has Been Fulfilled - When It Actually Has Not Been Fulfilled...A Test Result Indicates That A Condition Failed - While It Actually Was Successful - I.E. Erroneously No Effect Has Been Assumed.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

3. The Third Story

A Result That Indicates A Given Condition Has Been Fulfilled - When It Actually Has Not Been Fulfilled...A Test Result Indicates That A Condition Failed - While It Actually Was Successful - I.E. Erroneously No Effect Has Been Assumed.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

4. False Positives And False Negatives

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.A Result That Indicates A Given Condition Has Been Fulfilled - When It Actually Has Not Been Fulfilled...A Test Result Indicates That A Condition Failed - While It Actually Was Successful - I.E. Erroneously No Effect Has Been Assumed.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

5. Trade-Offs

A Situation That Involves Losing One Quality Or Aspect Of Something In Return For Gaining Another Quality Or Aspect.Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

6. Core Competancy

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)A Harmonized Combination Of Multiple Resources And Skills That Distinguish A Firm In The Marketplace. (Related: You Don't Have To Be An Expert On Every Company - Or Even Many. You Only Have To Be Able To Evaluate Companies Within Your Circle Of Competence. The Size Of That Circle Is Not Very Important; Knowing Its Boundaries - However - Is Vital.)

7. Normal Distribution

Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.A Very Common Continuous Probability Distribution...Physical Quantities That Are Expected To Be The Sum Of Many Independent Processes (Such As Measurement Errors) Often Have Distributions That Are Nearly Normal. (Related: Central Limit Theorem)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

8. Sphere Of Influence

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)A Spatial Region Or Concept Division Over Which A State Or Organization Has A Level Of Cultural - Economic - Military - Or Political Exclusivity - Accommodating To The Interests Of Powers Outside The Borders Of The State That Controls It.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

9. Framing

With The Same Information Being Used As A Base - The Way The Issue Is Presented Can Change The Reader's Perception Without Having To Alter The Actual Facts. (Related: Anchoring)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)

10. Hanlon's Razor

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.Never Attribute To Malice That Which Is Adequately Explained By Carelessness. (Related: Fundamental Attribution Error The Tendency For People To Place An Undue Emphasis On Internal Characteristics Of The Agent (Character Or Intention) - Rather Than External Factors - In Explaining Another Person's Behavior In A Given Situation.)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

11. Intuition

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Personal Experience Coded Into Your Personal Neural Network. Dangerous Outside The Bounds Of Your Personal Experience. (Related: Thinking Fast Vs Thinking Slow A Dichotomy Between Two Modes Of Thought: 'System 1' Is Fast - Instinctive And Emotional; 'System 2' Is Slower - More Deliberative - And More Logical.)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

12. Active Listening

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.Requires That The Listener Fully Concentrates - Understands - Responds And Then Remembers What Is Being Said.

13. Business Case

Captures The Reasoning For Initiating A Project Or Task. It Is Often Presented In A Well-Structured Written Document - But May Also Sometimes Come In The Form Of A Short Verbal Argument Or Presentation. (Related: Why This Now?)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)

14. Product/Market Fit

Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)The Degree To Which A Product Satisfies A Strong Market Demand. (Related: Pivot Structured Course Correction Designed To Test A New Fundamental Hypothesis About The Product - Strategy - And Engine Of Growth. - Rebuilding Year)

15. Opportunity Cost

Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)The Value Of The Best Alternative Forgone Where - Given Limited Resources - A Choice Needs To Be Made Between Several Mutually Exclusive Alternatives. Assuming The Best Choice Is Made - It Is The 'Cost' Incurred By Not Enjoying The Benefit That Would Have Been Had By Taking The Second Best Available Choice. (Related: Cost Of Capital)

16. Unintended Consequences

Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Outcomes That Are Not The Ones Foreseen And Intended By A Purposeful Action. (Related: Collateral Damage Deaths - Injuries - Or Other Damage Inflicted On An Unintended Target. - Goodhart's Law When A Measure Becomes A Target - It Ceases To Be A Good Measure; Campbell's Law; Cobra Effect When An Attempted Solution To A Problem Actually Makes The Problem Worse.; Kick A Hornet's Nest.)

17. Sustainable Competitive Advantage

One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Structural Factors That Allow A Firm To Outcompete Its Rivals For Many Years.Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)

18. Cost-Benefit Analysis

Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)A Systematic Approach To Estimating The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Alternatives That Satisfy Transactions - Activities Or Functional Requirements For A Business. (Related: Net Present Value A Measurement Of The Profitability Of An Undertaking That Is Calculated By Subtracting The Present Values Of Cash Outflows (Including Initial Cost) From The Present Values Of Cash Inflows Over A Period Of Time. - Discount Rate)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

19. Sensitivity Analysis

The Study Of How The Uncertainty In The Output Of A Mathematical Model Or System (Numerical Or Otherwise) Can Be Apportioned To Different Sources Of Uncertainty In Its Inputs.One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

20. Arguing From First Principles

Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)A Basic - Foundational - Self-Evident Proposition Or Assumption That Cannot Be Deduced From Any Other Proposition Or Assumption. (Related: Dimensionality Reduction; Orthogonality; Reasonable Minds Can Disagree If Underlying Premises Differ.)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

21. Divide And Conquer

Recursively Breaking Down A Problem Into Two Or More Sub-Problems Of The Same Or Related Type - Until These Become Simple Enough To Be Solved Directly. The Solutions To The Sub-Problems Are Then Combined To Give A Solution To The Original Problem.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

22. Scientific Method

One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Systematic Observation - Measurement - And Experiment - And The Formulation - Testing - And Modification Of Hypotheses. (Related: Reproducibility)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

23. Strategy Vs Tactics

Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.Former (Term) Without Later (Term) Is The Slowest Route To Victory. The Later (Term) Without The Formal (Term) Is The Noise Before Defeat.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)

24. Proximate Vs Root Cause

An Event Which Is Closest To - Or Immediately Responsible For Causing - Some Observed Result. This Exists In Contrast To A Higher-Level Ultimate Cause (Or Distal Cause) Which Is Usually Thought Of As The 'Real' Reason Something Occurred.Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

25. Focus On High-Leverage Activities

Leverage Should Be The Central - Guiding Metric That Helps You Determine Where To Focus Your Time. (Related: Eisenhower Decision Matrix What Is Important Is Seldom Urgent - And What Is Urgent Is Seldom Important. - The Best Time To Plant A Tree Was 20 Years Ago. The Second Best Time Is Now. - Law Of Triviality Members Of An Organisation Give Disproportionate Weight To Trivial Issues.)Presuming That A Real Or Perceived Relationship Between Things Means That One Is The Cause Of The Other. (Related: Correlation Does Not Imply Causation - Or In Xkcd Form)One An Impartial Observer - Such As A Mediator - Would Tell; It's A Version Of Events Both Sides Can Agree On. (Related: Most Respectful Interpretation)Manipulating An Emotional Response In Place Of A Valid Or Compelling Argument.

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25 Questions

❤ If you liked Fatskills, consider supporting us by checking out The Life Manuals You Never Got.

About | Explore | User Guide | Topics | Subjects | Doubt Solver | Career Aptitude Test | Answers | Free Tools | OSHA Basics Quiz | What Should We Know? Privacy | Terms |

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All trademarks, logos and brand names are the property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement.

About | Explore | User Guide | Topics | Subjects | Doubt Solver | Career Aptitude Test | Answers | Free Tools | OSHA Basics Quiz | What Should We Know?
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Without work one finishes nothing. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
© 2026 Fatskills.com