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Built Quote by John Henry Holland

“Unwrapping occurs when the "solution" is explicitly built into the program from the start.” quote by John Henry Holland
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“Unwrapping occurs when the "solution" is explicitly built into the program from the start.”

John Henry Holland

About This Quote

Source Article: Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems, 1975

When a solution is designed into a program from the beginning, the process of discovery is bypassed, limiting flexibility and learning.

In simple terms: Built‑in solutions reduce adaptability.

Key Takeaway

Design for modularity and later refinement.

Themes

design programming flexibility learning

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

technical educational

When to use this quote

  • software development
  • AI model training
  • product design
  • educational curriculum

Key Concepts

software engineering systems theory innovation

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can you think of a case where a pre‑built solution failed?
  • How might you embed adaptability later?
A Different Perspective

May ignore benefits of emergent problem solving.

2.1 out of 5 (9 ratings)

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