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In research, there has long been a debate on the “fox versus hedgehog” approaches. The term comes from a fragment of verse by the Ancient Greek poet Archilochus: “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” Many researchers argued that good academic research should provide a single central vision of reality, which is the hedgehog approach. A fox approach, on the other hand, pursues many divergent ends, and possesses a sense of reality that is too complex to fit into a unitary scheme.9
In the real world of policy-making, useful techniques and knowledge do not necessarily come from a unitary scheme. A hedgehog-style explanation of policy-making may be desirable for academic purposes, but it does not provide many useful policy lessons. Therefore, I indulge in fox-style discussions about research and development (R&D), politics, and energy strategies in my conclusion.
Throughout the history of energy policy and energy technologies, the same pattern of mistakes has been repeated. There are recurrent myths about a new technology that would provide clean, safe, and abundant energy. Those myths have been debunked time and time again; however, there is always a new myth. The lessons from historical failures are not only interesting but also important. Many of the social mechanisms and characteristics of business environment that led to past fiascos still exist today. History does repeat itself and policymakers should be aware of it. I am hopeful that my study will shed some light so as to prevent repetition of the same mistakes.