Chesterton’s Fence: A Lesson in Second Order Thinking
A crucial aspect of making sound decisions is comprehending the reasoning behind past decisions. Without understanding how we arrived at a particular point, we risk exacerbating the situation. Merely viewing previous choices as the outcome of first-order thinking is insufficient when seeking to intervene in an established system. It is essential to consider whether second-order thinking was employed by the decision-makers. Their motivations for making certain choices may be more intricate than they initially appear. It is prudent to assume that they possessed knowledge or experiences that we may not be privy to, so we should avoid hasty fixes that may inadvertently worsen the situation.