This is actually a very important principle that science is learning about large systems like evolution and that futurists are learning about anticipating human society: just because a future scenario is plausible doesn't mean we can get there from here.

Quote by Kevin Kelly

Topics: Kevin Kelly Quotes

Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.

Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.

Species go extinct because there are historical contraints built into a given body or a...

Species go extinct because there are historical contraints built into a given body or a...

The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a...

The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a...

We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and...

We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and...

In a broad systems sense, an organism's environment is indistinguishable from the organism itself.

In a broad systems sense, an organism's environment is indistinguishable from the organism itself.

Everything that we are making, we are making more and more complex.

Everything that we are making, we are making more and more complex.

One of the functions of an organization, of any organism, is to anticipate the future,...

One of the functions of an organization, of any organism, is to anticipate the future,...

Organizations get invested into a particular product. And sometimes the best thing is to stop...

Organizations get invested into a particular product. And sometimes the best thing is to stop...

The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very...

The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very...

A brain is a society of very small, simple modules that cannot be said to...

A brain is a society of very small, simple modules that cannot be said to...

The great advance of personal computers was not the computing power per se but the...

The great advance of personal computers was not the computing power per se but the...

But in fact, when you try to model that on a computer you find that...

But in fact, when you try to model that on a computer you find that...

All imaginable futures are not equally possible.

All imaginable futures are not equally possible.

The current understanding was that it was impossible to predict how something would evolve because...

The current understanding was that it was impossible to predict how something would evolve because...

It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.

It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.

It has become evident that the primary lesson of the study of evolution is that...

It has become evident that the primary lesson of the study of evolution is that...

An organization's intelligence is distributed to the point of being ubiquitous.

An organization's intelligence is distributed to the point of being ubiquitous.

Knowledge helps dormant intelligence to awake and become conscious which automatically brings so many additional...

Knowledge helps dormant intelligence to awake and become conscious which automatically brings so many additional...

Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he...

Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he...

No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has...

No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has...