[X] Nassim Nicholas Taleb Postpones Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) Attendance to 2026

The Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), often referred to as the ‘greatest literary show on Earth,’ is a globally renowned annual event that brings together prominent voices from literature, politics, science, and the arts. Held in Jaipur, India, the festival fosters intellectual engagement through insightful sessions, performances, and meaningful dialogue. The 18th edition is set to take place from January 30 to February 3, 2025, at Hotel Clarks Amer.

Paper: Informational Rescaling of PCA Maps with Application to Genetic Distance

Abstract

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful multivariate tool allowing the projection of data in low-dimensional representations. Nevertheless, datapoint distances on these low-dimensional projections are challenging to interpret. Here, we propose a computationally simple heuristic to transform a map based on standard PCA (when the variables are asymptotically Gaussian) into an entropy-based map where distances are based on mutual information (MI). Moreover, we show that in certain instances our proposed scaled PCA can improve cluster identification. Rescaling principal component-based distances using MI results in a representation of relative statistical associations when, as in genetics, it is applied on bit measurements between individuals’ genomic mutual information. This entropy-rescaled PCA, while preserving order relationships (along a dimension), quantifies relative distances into information units, such as “bits”. We illustrate the effect of this rescaling using genomics data derived from world populations and describe how the interpretation of results are impacted.

Link to Paper – www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2001037024004136

[Twitter | X] Nassim Nicholas Taleb Reiterates His Critique: IQ as Pseudoscience and Its Role in Race Science

[Twitter | X] Medicine & Entropy: Nassim Nicholas Taleb on Health Asymmetry Between ‘Sedentary’ and ‘Fit’

[Twitter | X] Nassim Nicholas Taleb Tweets ‘The Black Swan’ as the Most Influential 21st Century Book

The other 4 books in Taleb’s “Incerto” book series:

  1. Fooled by Randomness
  2. The Bed of Procrustes
  3. Antifragile
  4. Skin in the Game

[Twitter] Nassim Nicholas Taleb Says Biden’s Age and Cognitive Decline Pose Significant Risks for Presidency

Nassim Nicholas Taleb recently shared his thoughts on the potential risks associated with President Joe Biden’s age and cognitive health on X (formerly Twitter).