Part Two: We Just Can't Predict, Chapter 11: How to Look for Bird Poop Summary and Analysis

Summary

Chapter 11 began with the assertion that most inventions and discoveries have happened by accident while people were looking for something different. The commonly known example is Columbus finding the New World rather than his desired destination, India. Another important part of this was that, when something new was found, the finder generally did not understand the importance. The core principle was that the natural world, of which humans are a part, has been running on aimless processes that sometimes resulted in successes but most often ended in failures. A few modern-day corporations have recognized this and have allowed their engineers free reign when exploring possible new products.

The author revealed how we have taken illusions and...