Clarke treats geostrategy as a new label for ideas he recognizes as grand strategy. Armstrong connects such relabelling with academic and political incentives to appear to invent new ideas. Similar problems arise when modern technology becomes a reason to dismiss historical strategy without examining its argument. Expecting Mahan to predict radar, missiles, or space power makes technological forecasting a test of work written for a different purpose. Clarke uses presentism for the assumption that technological superiority leaves the past with nothing useful to teach.
Notable Point · 29:48-34:06
Presentism and new labels can conceal older strategic ideas
New terminology and technological presentism can encourage readers to dismiss older strategic ideas before examining what those ideas actually explain.