[The Knowledge Project Ep. #113] Sarah Tavel: The Value of Intellectual Rigor

Shane Parrish: You studied philosophy and not computer science or business. How has that shaped the way that you approach your job as a venture capitalist (VC)? 

Sarah Tavel:  It’s funny. I think most people misunderstand what philosophy is. I think probably when you say that you studied philosophy, they imagine a bunch of guys in three-piece suits sitting around a table, drinking cognac and pontificating on the meaning of life. But it is a little different. Of course, philosophy is this big umbrella, but the type of philosophy that I studied in college was a very analytical version of philosophy where it’s underpinned by logic. You learn a level of intellectual rigor that you don’t even realize.