Hi Steve,

Thank you for these important and insightful observations. In brief:

1. This may be the first I've heard of Collingswood. His project is an important one. Yes, coming to know another's mind is hard and important.

2. Yes yes

3. Thanks for the tip on Robert Wright

4. Good point. I deliberately did not mention Fukuyama because so many people have misunderstood his work. I'm not critiquing his book or ideas. I'm referring to the general zeitgeist of that time, one that Snyder refers to as the politics of inevitability. Fukuyama may not have been a proponent of it, but it was real and widespread. Would you agree?