Management has historically been associated with a fascination for numbers, considered to be the basis of enlightened decision-making, scientific analysis and self-proclaimed objective evidence. The fruit of this belief is the phenomenon of “governance by numbers” (Supiot), characteristic of modern societies and economies. But the illusory nature of faith in figures has been extensively examined in the field of philosophy: numbers are a source of power, but this power operates by simplifying reality (Nietzsche), reducing life in all its complexity to a series of quantifiable values and totally failing to comprehend what constitutes “dignity” (Kant). Taking as our starting point these philosophical perspectives, some contemporary and some more long-established, we seek to illustrate some of the illusions which stem from decision-making founded (exclusively) on numbers, while also examining the managerial consequences of moving beyond this blinkered approach in the context of a public health crisis. In order to do so, we prioritise the sound judgement of individuals, as well as their capacity to unlearn old certainties.