It's a choice... I prefer to read a book to learn, say, how to read dangerous chemicals warning labels, than to try every single one of them to see which ones are poisonous... Some experiences you don't want to have, which doesn't mean you cant learn from them, though.
Well, obviously. But with business specifically, I'm not sure if that applies. Say you pick up a book about how to write a business plan, set up a sales team, put together an effective marketing team, etc. It seems those are more of an art form than a science, and those abilities strengthen with experience. And if a mistake is that costly, then maybe you shouldn't be running a business to begin with?
I'm still not convinced. However, I am definitely in favor of reading.