What structural problem does the function of death, viewed as an invention, solve for systems?
Answer
It clears out the established and outdated to create necessary space for the novel
The significance of calling death an 'invention' lies in the function it executes perfectly: ensuring systemic turnover. If individuals or ideas were permanent, the weight of maintaining the status quo would become insurmountable, leading to institutional calcification and the stagnation of progress. Death forces the established ways—whether obsolete thinking patterns or old technologies—to become deprecated, thereby ensuring that new, necessary paradigms can emerge and gain traction. This turnover is essential for growth and forward momentum, much like refactoring old code in software development.
Related Questions
What did Steve Jobs cite as the single best invention of life during his famous pronouncements?What specific function did Steve Jobs assign to death as life’s central mechanism?In which highly cited event did Steve Jobs articulate his view on death as life’s best invention?What structural problem does the function of death, viewed as an invention, solve for systems?What crucial effect did remembering his impending end have on Jobs’ ability to make big choices?What specific trap, related to prior effort, did Jobs suggest awareness of death helps cut through?How does the engineering perspective apply the necessity of mortality to human existence and legacy?What is required for the active management of mortality, beyond mere contemplation, concerning current obligations?What contrasting philosophical focus does Jobs’ functionalist argument about death move attention away from?How does knowing time is strictly limited—the ultimate constraint—affect decision-making ability?