Chesterton's Fence - Why You Should Think Twice Before Rewriting That Project
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Mar 21, 2025
This discussion dives into Chesterton's fence, emphasizing the need to grasp the original purpose behind processes before altering them. It challenges the impulse to remove existing systems without understanding their intent. The conversation includes the cognitive biases that can lead to misguided assumptions about past decisions. Analogies from code reviews illustrate the cautious mindset needed when contemplating changes. Ultimately, it’s a call for curiosity and informed decision-making in development.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Chesterton's Fence
Resist the urge to immediately change or discard existing systems or code.
First, understand the original purpose and reasoning behind them.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Code Review Analogy
Imagine a senior engineer questioning a junior engineer's code refactor in a PR review.
This mirrors the principle of Chesterton's Fence.
insights INSIGHT
Cognitive Bias
The desire to change things without understanding stems from illusory superiority and the Dunning-Kruger effect.
We overestimate our abilities and underestimate our predecessors'.
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This episode explores the concept of Chesterton's fence, a principle that advises against removing or altering something without first understanding its original purpose.
• Understand the core message of Chesterton's fence: before getting rid of an existing system, process, or code, take the time to understand why it was put there in the first place. • Learn about the common thought process that leads to wanting to remove things without understanding them ("Why on earth would anyone ever do it this way?"). • Discover the parable of Chesterton's fence: the more intelligent reformer questions the removal of a fence until its use is understood. • See an analogy in code review where a senior engineer might question the removal of code or tests without understanding their purpose. • Understand the cognitive bias of illusory superiority and the Dunning-Kruger effect, which can lead to overestimating one's own abilities and underestimating the reasoning behind existing systems. • Recognise the mistake of assuming that predecessors were incompetent and that their work was done in error. • Appreciate the importance of adopting a curious mindset and trying to understand the original reasons behind existing practices. • Understand that Chesterton's fence is not a justification for never changing anything, but a caution against recklessness and the importance of being informed. • Learn that even when deciding to remove something, understanding its purpose can lead to better decisions and improvements in the future (e.g., replacing an old test with a better one). • Realise the value of learning from the experiences and reasoning of those who came before.
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