New Books in Finance Ethan A. Everett, "The Investment Philosophers: Financial Lessons from the Great Thinkers" (Columbia Business School, 2025)
Oct 13, 2025
Ethan A. Everett, author and co-founder of an AI-based research startup, dives into the fascinating intersection of philosophy and investing. He explores how thinkers like Nietzsche and Spinoza provide invaluable insights into market behavior and emotional biases. Discover what Buffett's ethics have in common with Nietzsche's eternal recurrence and learn why it's crucial to balance conviction with flexibility in investment strategies. Everett also discusses the historical context of investing, emphasizing the relevance of philosophical teachings in today's financial landscape.
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Philosophy As An Investment Toolkit
- Philosophy offers lenses that help investors see complex market dynamics differently and generate novel insights.
- Ethan Everett argues this approach can produce differentiated investment perspectives that the consensus misses.
Be Different And Be Right
- Be different and be right to achieve investment outperformance; both are necessary but not sufficient.
- Also incorporate pragmatic common-sense checks before acting on contrarian ideas.
Luck Shapes Investment Opportunity
- Luck pervades not only outcomes but the circumstances that enable investing, from birthplace to legal institutions.
- Everett uses Pascal to remind investors to humble themselves about deservedness and contingency.
