This is something that I’ve debated with a couple of friends about. My position is that most social phenomena are too multicausal, too contingent on unknown factors and too multivariate to model. On the other hand, they generally argue that having any analysis is “better than nothing.”

I do not agree. Often, a “scientific” analysis produces false certitude and absurd conclusions that are then taken as truth while in no way resembling reality — and in fact, that in many cases that are farcically absurd on their face. One good example is the “scientific” contention that there are no differences between generations. There are many more.

Knowing is better than not knowing of course. But false knowing is even worse than either of those.