The Will to Predict: Orchestrating the Future through Science

Eglė Rindzevičiūtė's book "The Will to Predict" explores how the logic of scientific expertise cannot be properly understood without knowing the conceptual and institutional history of scientific prediction. She argues that predictions of future population, economic growth, environmental change, and scientific and technological innovation have shaped twentieth and twenty-first-century politics and social life, and are more necessary than ever. Rindzevičiūtė's book outlines the role of prediction in a range of governmental contexts, from economic and social planning to military strategy, and argues that scientific predictions are central for organizing uncertainty through the orchestration of knowledge and action.

Format: Hardback
Length: 306 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2023
Publisher: Cornell University Press

In her groundbreaking book, "The Will to Predict," Eglė Rindzevičiūtė delves into the intricate realm of scientific expertise, illuminating the profound significance of understanding the conceptual and institutional history of scientific prediction. She astutely observes that predictions of future population growth, economic development, environmental change, and scientific and technological innovation have played a pivotal role in shaping twentieth and twenty-first-century politics and social life, as well as government policies. Recognizing the ever-increasing importance of such predictions in the face of dramatic global environmental, political, and technological transformations, Rindzevičiūtė raises a crucial question: what does it truly mean to predict scientifically? She explores the boundaries of scientific prediction, examining its potential impacts on governance, institutions, and society.

To illustrate her argument, Rindzevičiūtė takes a deep dive into the intellectual and political history of scientific prediction, focusing on the case of the twentieth-century USSR. By examining the role of prediction in various governmental contexts, from economic and social planning to military strategy, she demonstrates that the history of scientific prediction is a transnational one, intricately intertwined with the history of modern science and technology, as well as governance.

Going beyond the confines of the Soviet case, Rindzevičiūtė expands her analysis, arguing that scientific predictions are essential for organizing uncertainty through the orchestration of knowledge and action. She skillfully bridges the fields of political sociology, organization studies, and history, delving into the criteria that define knowledge as scientific and exploring how such knowledge has influenced late modern governance.

Through her comprehensive and thought-provoking work, "The Will to Predict," Rindzevičiūtė sheds light on the complex dynamics of scientific expertise, challenging readers to reevaluate their understanding of prediction and its role in shaping the world we live in. By exploring the historical, conceptual, and institutional dimensions of scientific prediction, she provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise in the realm of governance and decision-making.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501769771