ABSTRACT
As we progress further into the twenty-first century we will face many complex challenges that will stretch our powers of creativity. Let us end by imagining ourselves to be asleep and experiencing a dream (assuming you’ve managed to stay awake to this last, refreshingly short, chapter of the book). In this dream you have just been appointed by the highest authority, the cosmic Chairman, to be the Global Project Manager charged with solving all the sustainability problems of the twenty-first century. You did not apply for this position, so you say to the Chairman: GPM
‘I don’t have the ability to solve all of the problems that are emerging today. They are too complex and change too quickly for solutions to be developed. What should I do?’
Chairman‘You have a brain containing 100 billion neurones, each of which can be connected with up to 10,000 other neurons in the most deeply connected, flexible, parallel-processing, problem-solving creation in the entire universe. You have another 7 billion of these problem-solving creations on your planet already. How many more do you think you need in order to solve your problems?’
GPM‘Oh, please, no more Mr Chairman. I just need the owner’s manual!’
