The author elaborates on this nostalgia in the lines following the referenced phrase: “The attraction of grand theories was the sense they conveyed that history is logical and proceeds according to certain universal laws; in discarding these theories, we seem to have lost faith in historical determinism. But while we no longer believe in the deterministic explanations of history offered by grand theories, we still long for the cognitive satisfaction provided by a belief in historical inevitability. This leaves us in a curious state of intellectual discomfort. But perhaps this discomfort is no bad thing, for it might finally persuade us to relinquish the vain hope for inevitability and hence restore us to the contemplation of historical contingency, particularity, and novelty, all of which can serve as stimuli to serious thought.” We are attracted to grand theories because they offer a “cognitive satisfaction.” But, having abandoned grand theories, we are intellectually discomfortable. This discomfort “is no bad thing,” because it might convince us to form a new historical perspective.

The author’s attitude is not clearly positive or negative toward the nostalgia for grand theories. The author understands why we feel nostalgia and believes the discomfort in part produced by that nostalgia isn’t a bad thing.