The Adjacent Possible

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The Age After Wealth

- January 03, 2021

The Age After Wealth Background: Social Institutions evolve in response to new technology. The automobile spawned — among other things —traffic lights and laws governing driving behavior. Radio gave rise to laws regulating the electromagnetic spectrum. All in the pursuit of coordinated action for the “common good”. But the rapid evolution of technology has outpaced the ability of Social Institutions to evolve accordingly. Moreover, laws and Social institutions are crafted on various economic ideas, on economic models. Both Socialism and Capitalism are pathways that do not appear to be creating Social Institutions which are helping us achieve the greatest common good. This is a story about daily life in a Society that could potentially evolve from economic ideas based on Individualism. ******** Thinking about what to order for breakfast, Maxwell (Max to his friends) eye-scrolled the on-line delivery menu projected on his wall [1]. Just as he was about to choose, he was

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.