“On several occasions, we are informed that the professional ideal 'took steps', 'organised assaults', and 'selected social problems'. But this is anthropomorphic metaphor implausibly masquerading as historical explanation.” BookProblemLanguageSocialStepsIdealsHistoricalMetaphorOccasionsExplanationAssaultSelectedSocial ProblemsOrganised Book:History in Our Time Source: History in Our Time
“In such systems, there is unquestioning respect for authority. Faith trumps evidence. But if indeed this is broadly the explanation for how co-operative behaviour has evolved and been maintained in human societies, it could be very bad news. Because although such authoritarian systems seem to be good at preserving social coherence and an orderly society, they are, by the same token, not good at adapting to change.” IfsHumansSeemsSocialTrumpAuthorityNewsEvidenceBe GoodExplanationBehaviourBad NewsHuman SocietyOrderlyTokensAdaptingCoherenceAdapting To Change Author:Robert May, Baron May of Oxford