Edge.org
To arrive at the edge of the world's knowledge, seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together, and have them ask each other the questions they are asking themselves.
Published on Edge.org (https://www.edge.org)

Home >

2006 : WHAT IS YOUR DANGEROUS IDEA? [1]

In the News [ 26 ] [2]
  |  
Contributors [ 119 ] [3]   |   View All Responses [ 119 ] [4]
[5]
Seth Lloyd [5]
Professor of Quantum Mechanical Engineering, MIT; Author, Programming the Universe
The genetic breakthrough that made people capable of ideas themselves

The most dangerous idea is the genetic breakthrough that made people capable of ideas themselves. The idea of ideas is nice enough in principle; and ideas certainly have had their impact for good. But one of these days one of those nice ideas is likely to have the unintended consequence of destroying everything we know. 

Meanwhile, we cannot not stop creating and exploring new ideas: the genie of ingenuity is out of the bottle. To suppress the power of ideas will hasten catastrophe, not avert it. Rather, we must wield that power with the respect it deserves. 

Who risks no danger reaps no reward.

Return to Table of Contents [3]
  • John Brockman, Editor and Publisher
  • Russell Weinberger, Associate Publisher
  • Nina Stegeman, Associate Editor
 
  • Contact Info:[email protected]
  • In the News
  • Get Edge.org by email
 
Edge.org is a nonprofit private operating foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Copyright © 2019 By Edge Foundation, Inc All Rights Reserved.

 


Links:
[1] https://www.edge.org/annual-question/what-is-your-dangerous-idea
[2] https://www.edge.org/inthenews/what-is-your-dangerous-idea
[3] https://www.edge.org/contributors/what-is-your-dangerous-idea
[4] https://www.edge.org/responses/what-is-your-dangerous-idea
[5] https://www.edge.org/memberbio/seth_lloyd