AI got the blame for the Iran school bombing. The truth is far more worrying

Michael Sherry's The Rise of American Air Power examines how air power doctrine developed in the United States and shaped military strategy and public perceptions. Sherry traces technological, institutional, and cultural factors that elevated bombing as a decisive form of warfare and influenced how success was measured. The book critiques the technocratic confidence that often accompanied air power proponents and the ways measurement practices masked strategic shortcomings. Through archival research and analysis, Sherry shows how concepts of efficiency and precision reshaped military planning and accountability. His work is influential for understanding the interplay between technology, doctrine, and organizational belief in modern air warfare.

Lucy Suchman's Plans and Situated Actions challenges traditional models of human action that treat behavior as following pre-defined plans. Based on empirical studies, Suchman shows that action is situated—shaped by context, contingencies, and ongoing interpretation—so formal procedures often misrepresent how work is actually done. The book influenced human-computer interaction and organizational studies by emphasizing the need to design systems that account for contextual judgment and improvisation. Suchman argues that plans serve as resources rather than strict scripts, and that recognizing situated action is essential to understanding real-world practice. Her work highlights the limitations of codifying discretion into rigid procedures.

Theodore Porter's "Trust in Numbers" is a historical analysis exploring the rise of quantification and its impact across various fields. The book examines how numerical data became a dominant force in shaping decisions and understanding in areas like education, medicine, and social policy. Porter delves into the social and political factors that contributed to this shift, highlighting the complexities and potential pitfalls of relying solely on numbers. He also explores how different professions and fields have responded to the increasing influence of quantification, some resisting its encroachment while others readily embrace it. The book offers valuable insights into the power dynamics and consequences of numerical dominance in decision-making processes.

In Information Technology and Military Power, Lindsay argues that military organizations depend on institutions for knowledge, but war happens in what international relations theory would call anarchy. And that's the opposite of institutions. And this is part of why war is so uncertain, is that you're trying to put information institutions into an anarchic space.