Piecemeal Engineering vs. holistic Utopianism

1. Introduction
2. Engineering Society: Piecemeal Engineering vs. Holistic Utopianism
   1. Step-by-step change: Piecemeal Engineering
   2. Radical Revolution: Holistic Utopianism and its Relationship to Historicism
   3. Piecemeal Engineering as an Alternative to Holism?
      1. How effective can Piecemeal Engineering be as a Method for Managed Social Change?
      2. How big is the Difference between Piecemeal Engineering and the Holistic Approach really?
3. Conclusion

Introduction

„Historicism, as Popper understands it, is not just an intellectual error, of interest only to professional philosophers; it is a prime source of moral and political devastation.“ (Passmore 1975, S. 30).

With these words, John Passmore introduces his review of one of Karl Popper’s most influential works, The Poverty of Historicism. Passmore thus illustrates the real threat that Popper saw in historicism and explains, in part, the motivation that moved Popper to write this book. This is not at all to suggest that The Poverty of Historicism is an emotionally charged sermon against…