The Importance of Errors

People often believe if errors and mistakes didn’t occur their lives would be better and the world would be a better place to live. Errors are important and their essential nature is often overlooked. The discovery of penicillin occurred when mold contaminated samples in an experiment killing the bacteria being grown in Petri dishes.

The role of errors goes far beyond examples when beneficial results occur because of a mistake. The very essence of evolution and thus the key processes of life itself depend on errors. The copying of genetic material and reproduction happen imperfectly. Mutations are often but not always dysfunctional. Some of these errors create superior capabilities for organisms enhancing their survival. The vast web of life came about through what we usually perceive as errors and mistakes.

Creativity itself is a process where novel results and outcomes occur. By this definition, mistakes and errors are extremely creative. Often yielding results no one imagined or intended. Without errors, most of what we value and hold dear would not exist.