The essay argues Enlightenment thinkers imported Newtonian mechanics as a master metaphor for society, birthing a belief that one theory could predict and control social outcomes. Because future knowledge is inherently unpredictable (Popper), grand 'social mechanics' and futuristic visions become systematically wrong and dated.
— It warns policymakers and ideologues that mechanistic master‑theories of society are epistemically brittle, urging adaptive, humility‑based governance over revolutionary redesigns.
Robin Hanson
2025.09.20
65% relevant
Hanson argues cultural domains lack low‑dimensional descriptors and therefore resist universal 'systems,' echoing the critique that mechanistic master theories misfit complex social reality. Both warn against overconfident, one‑theory mappings of society.
Lorenzo Warby
2025.08.06
100% relevant
The author: “All C18th Enlightenment thinking arose in the shadow of Newtonian physics… [implying] social mechanics could be accurately controlled and predicted.”
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