So then the question is, are all facts the same? The answer I’ve come to is that some facts are more useful than others.
The fact that America is a great power is a very important fact.
The fact the great powers act alike is a useful fact.
The fact that can derived from these, that America does great power stuff, is of no value. It’s just the obvious result of other facts which are more important if your goal is prediction or parsimonious explanations for historical events.
So then the question is, are all facts the same? The answer I’ve come to is that some facts are more useful than others.
The fact that America is a great power is a very important fact.
The fact the great powers act alike is a useful fact.
The fact that can derived from these, that America does great power stuff, is of no value. It’s just the obvious result of other facts which are more important if your goal is prediction or parsimonious explanations for historical events.