Sharp, honest criticism is extremely rare in philanthropy, especially when billions of dollars are sitting nearby. So kudos indeed to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for inviting such criticism [of its social science-based giving]. ... put me down with those who think social science will always be, at best, a highly limited tool for anyone—philanthropists, government officials, et al. ... Is “strategic philanthropy” the cutting edge [or is it more like] eugenics? The “science” of eugenics assumed that human beings could be treated like healthy and diseased cells in an animal’s body. Nowadays everyone is embarrassed at such barbarism,...