No. 38 · Risk · General Thinking
Foxes vs Hedgehogs
Some minds know many things, others one big thing, and each has its blind spot.
In the Almanac
“Berlin’s essay”, 1953 · “Tata Group”, 2000–2008
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacQuestions
What is Foxes vs Hedgehogs?
Foxes vs. Hedgehogs, from Isaiah Berlin's famous essay, contrasts two thinking styles. Foxes know many things and adapt to each situation. Hedgehogs know one big thing and see the world through a single unifying idea.
How do you use Foxes vs Hedgehogs?
Think like a fox when forecasting or making sense of something complex, gathering several perspectives. Act like a hedgehog when pursuing a long-term goal, keeping one priority in focus.
When does Foxes vs Hedgehogs matter?
Foxes vs Hedgehogs is one of the 32 mental models for risk, the situations where you ask: What could go wrong, and what will I do if it does? Within that, it belongs to “Thinking in odds”, alongside Expected Value, Fat-Tailed Distributions and Law of Large Numbers.
What is an example of Foxes vs Hedgehogs?
Two stories show it at work: Berlin’s essay (1953) and Tata Group (2000–2008). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Foxes vs Hedgehogs?
Super Forecasters, Generalist vs Specialists and Maslow’s Hammer. Foxes vs Hedgehogs itself comes from general thinking.