Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective

Why does modern life revolve around objectives? From how science is funded, to improving how children are educated — and nearly everything in-between — our society has become obsessed with a seductive illusion: that greatness results from doggedly measuring improvement in the relentless pursuit of an ambitious goal. In Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned, Stanley and Lehman begin with a surprising scientific discovery in artificial intelligence that leads ultimately to the conclusion that the objective obsession has gone too far. They make the case that great achievement can’t be bottled up into mechanical metrics; that innovation is not driven by narrowly focused heroic effort; and that we would be wiser (and the outcomes better) if instead we whole-heartedly embraced serendipitous discovery and playful creativity.

Controversial at its heart, yet refreshingly provocative, this book challenges readers to consider life without a destination and discovery without a compass.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Questioning Objectives
Chapter 2 Victory for the Aimless
Chapter 3 The Art of Breeding Art
Chapter 4 The False Compass
Chapter 5 The Interesting and the Novel
Chapter 6 Long Live the Treasure Hunter
Chapter 7 Unshackling Education
Chapter 8 Unchaining Innovation
Chapter 9 Farewell to the Mirage
Chapter 10 Case Study 1:​ Reinterpreting Natural Evolution
Chapter 11 Case Study 2:​ Objectives and the Quest for AI