Ontogeny and phylogeny

Haeckel is remembered for his theory that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.

This may be a pattern which applies even more generically: in every new development, we tend to recognize the phases along to which we structure other reference (maybe stereotypical) developments.

We tend to find that a new science will first undergo an archaic, then a classic phases, then go through a Copernician revolution, and eventually meet a post-modern phase.

The classic phase would be characterized by non-contradiction, but admit specific realms. The modern phase brings in universal laws. Postmodernism admits local discontinuities of the laws due to non-linear effects in reflexive applications.

Paradoxically, it brings specificity and even internal contradiction back!