The Adjacent Possible

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The Termites and the Pendulum

- October 27, 2020

The Termites and the Pendulum 1 It is well known that termites display adaptive social behavior under varying environmental conditions. Different types of individuals (i.e., castes) show distinctive phenotypes specialized in specific colony tasks. The whole colony is coordinated by interactions among colony members. 2 New unpublished work suggests greater complexity in the termite caste system, greater communications abilities, as well as greater termite intelligence than previously assumed. This new work is summarized below. Worldwide there are about 3000 species of termites including about 360 species living in Australia. The new subterranean species, not yet named, was found living on a great wood--mud ball suspended on a 100 foot termite built vine anchored to the top of a cave in New South Wales. When initially discovered the ball was swinging along an orbit with a periodic length of about 7 feet. Building upon the work of bacteriologists 3 , the investigators d

This blog is about the co-evolution of Society and Technology. To help me think about this in some orderly way, I have found the "adjacent possible" to be a useful idea [1]. The term describes the changing landscape of the distances between actual and potential "things" (such as tools, molecules, algorithms, institutions, etc.). Modifications and combinations of existing things changes the landscape which then allows new things to come into existence (electrical filament -> toaster -> multi-function toaster oven). Tools make new tools. The process unfolds and more related things come into existence (the air fryer). Some of these new things will have few decedents, others will have many, some will be prolific and radically alter the landscape of the possible (the gear, the transistor, the computer). Every new "thing" changes what can be reached in the adjacent possible. What is certain is, we can't predict beyond a few years with any degree of accuracy how "things" will evolve. This is especially troubling considering the adage "We make our tools, and then our tools make us" [2]. The stories here are not predictions. They are intended to make you think about the future we might, or not, want to create and then to act accordingly.

Notes:

1. The idea of an "Adjacent Possible" was first suggested in the context of genetics by the Biologist, Stuart Kauffman. History and examples are here: “Waves of Novelties in the Expansion into the Adjacent Possible". https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179303

2. This adage is often attributed to Marshall McLuhan but mostly likely it evolved from other sources. See Quote Investigator https://quoteinvestigator.com/2016/06/26/shape/

3. These stories freely combine fact and fiction. I use footnotes to point to some of the facts that inspired the fictional text. To appreciate the stories it is not necessary to read the footnotes. Occasionally they contain additional comments or questions that deserve further thought.