When it comes to discussing how society develops, which of the following was most likely to have said, "Just as too much pruning and shaping can kill a tree, so scientific planning can kill a culture".

Question

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The quote "Just as too much pruning and shaping can kill a tree, so scientific planning can kill a culture" does not directly align with the core beliefs of Romantics, Positivism, or Mesmerism. 
a. Romantics were a group of thinkers and artists in the 18th and 19th centuries who emphasized emotion, individualism, and the glorification of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical. They might have agreed with the sentiment of the quote as they often valued spontaneous or natural beauty over artificial or constructed environments, but the quote does not specifically reflect their literary or philosophical style.
b. Positivism is a philosophical theory stating that certain ("positive") knowledge is based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations as verified by the empirical sciences. Positivists typically believe in the power of science to improve society, so they would be less likely to agree with the idea that scientific planning could kill a culture.
c. Mesmerism, also known as animal magnetism, was a practice developed in the 18th century by Franz Mesmer that claimed to use a form of energy or magnetic waves to cure people of various ailments. It does not directly deal with societal development or the impact of scientific planning on culture.
The quote seems to express a caution against over-managing or over-planning, which could be a sentiment expressed by individuals or thinkers who are critical of the effects of rationalization or scientific management on culture and society. It could be attributed to a more general philosophical or sociological skepticism about the role of science and technology in society, but it does not specifically belong to any of the listed ideologies.

When It Comes to Discussing How Society Develops, Which of the Following