This chapter examines how society tends to repeat historical mistakes by clinging to outdated beliefs, using the case of President James Garfield's death to illustrate this point. It emphasizes the need to acknowledge advancements in knowledge and the dangers of ignoring them.
In some fields our knowledge is seamlessly passed down across generations. In others, it’s fleeting. To paraphrase investor Jim Grant: Knowledge in some fields is cumulative. In other fields it’s cyclical (at best).