Technology, from the Greek root Technē, means a creative revealing. It speaks to a process by which the end result is not necessarily determined before the start of the endeavor. This is much different than most so-called forms of invention today. Too often, the conclusion is settled in advance, which typically skews the effort needed to reach that conclusion. The creative process feeds on its natural progression and development, spawning the next idea and others yet unknown.
The invention of the catalytic converter was a virtual accident, and yet it saved the automobile industry generations of overwhelming R&D. It also set expectations much higher than the industry could sustain because it was a discovery more than a premeditated outcome. The problem with great ideas is that they don’t grow on trees, and they don’t happen in a vacuum. They require great effort, patience and process. Sometimes they require us to get out of their way.
