A Social Factor Project, comparable in scope, would be a worthy successor to that enterprise. Meanwhile, I have begun parceling out chunks of the work to interested parties. The results, gleaned from ordinary newspapers and magazines, are coming in faster than expected. Critics will charge that factor analysis is overly reductionist. Some will fret about disturbing uses to which our new knowledge may be put.
Ideological disputes are likely.
All these are a normal part of any discipline's development, and no cause for alarm. The next step is federal funding. An e-mail from Senator Moynihan's office said that my views were welcome. Whether the proboscis-manipulation factor was at work could not be determined. Illustration by Seth.