Figuora

Research

Working publications

Long-form notes and essays. Titles signal scope; abstracts and status labels signal confidence.

3 publicationsHistorical AnalysisEssayResearch Note
Historical AnalysisCivilizationProgress

Reading History as Accumulating Capability

This analysis argues for reading long-run history as changes in what societies can do—energy, information, coordination, stewardship—while refusing both inevitable progress myths and collapse chic. Capability accumulates unevenly, reverses, and is always politically contested.

June 12, 2026 · 2 min read

EssayCivilizationProgress

Capability Thresholds and Civilization Change

Civilization change often looks discontinuous because capability accumulates in the background until complements, scale, and institutions let a new regime tip. This essay develops thresholds as a working idea—useful, falsifiable in spirit, and easy to abuse.

May 5, 2026 · 3 min read

Research NoteCivilizationProgress

Introducing Civilization Theory

Civilization Theory is Figuora's attempt to study how human societies unlock, lose, and reorganize capabilities over deep time—without pretending we already know the master variable. This note states the project's aims, method of epistemic humility, and first working models.

March 15, 2026 · 2 min read