The Depth of 'Expect Horses, Not Zebras' in Life and Decision-Making
David Boles: Human Meme
English - February 04, 2024 11:00 - 8 minutes - 11.2 MB - ★★★★ - 7 ratingsPerforming Arts Arts Society & Culture Philosophy columbia aesthetic davidboles human meme nebraska newyork teaching Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
The provenance of this saying -- “When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don't expect to see a zebra.” -- lies in the mid-20th century. Dr. Theodore Woodward, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, used this phrase to teach medical students the principle of searching for the most common and likely diagnosis when faced with a set of symptoms, rather than jumping to rare and exotic conditions. It's a principle grounded in probability and practicality, an anchor in the turbulent seas of medical diagnosis where myriad possibilities can often cloud judgment.