Cliodynamics

When we review the course of human history or the results of anthropological research we see a delicate interplay of regularity and randomness. This article discusses several regularities in human affairs, including approximate mathematical laws, such as the logistic equation, and semi-empirical regularities, such as a power law or a Guttman scale. The search for regularities in human history is becoming a trifle more respectable than it was formerly. That could well portend some significant improvement in our ability to discuss the human future.