How the principles of biological innovation can help us overcome
creative challenges in art, business, and science
In Life Finds a Way, biologist Andreas Wagner reveals the deep
symmetry between innovation in biological evolution and human cultural
creativity. Rarely is either a linear climb to perfection--instead,
"progress" is typically marked by a sequence of peaks, plateaus, and
pitfalls. For instance, in Picasso's forty-some iterations of
Guernica, we see the same combination of small steps, incessant
reshuffling, and large, almost reckless, leaps that characterize the way
evolution transformed a dinosaur's grasping claw into a condor's soaring
wing. By understanding these principles, we can also better realize our
own creative potential to find new solutions to adversity.
Ultimately, Life Finds a Way offers a new framework for the nature of
creativity, enabling us to better adapt, grow, and change in art,
business, or science--that is, in life.