Let the record show I was [mis-]quoting NeilBlanchard.
What's needed is
multivariant analysis. I was reading somewhere recently about how some people have a problem conceptualizing this. For them analogies about Black Swans is the best you can do.
Fuller talked about '
starting with the Universe'. Then you discard everything too Macro and too Micro to affect a given situation. Everything left warrants consideration. It gets you the engineering from first principles that Elon Musk employs.