On the Other Hand …

I recently suggested that the difference between the political left and the political right “is that the left side is more likely to think in terms of differences in space and the right side is more likely to think in terms of differences in time.” I then followed that by a recommendation to follow the right side on the grounds that “variations in time can distinguish between cause and effect.”

I must admit there are circumstances where the left style of reasoning can be better. For example, the left style is better able to analyze varying standards. If there's been an apparent change over time, that might be due to changing measurement techniques. After enough time has elapsed, you can't cross examine the researchers any more. If measurement techniques vary from country to country, you can sometimes find out if they have done so.