The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

by Ray Kurzweil

An important example of this concept is one that represented a key step in the evolution of hominids: the shift in the thumb’s pivot point, which allowed more precise manipulation of the environment.8 Primates such as chimpanzees can grasp but they cannot manipulate objects with either a “power grip,” or sufficient fine-motor coordination to write or to shape objects. A change in the thumb’s pivot point did not significantly increase the complexity of the animal but nonetheless did represent an increase in order, enabling, among other things, the development of technology. Evolution has shown, however, that the general trend toward greater order does typically result in greater complexity.9 Thus improving a solution to a problem—which usually increases but sometimes decreases complexity—increases order.