Definition of Ambiguity

What is Ambiguity?

We are taught to believe that we can have clear and distinct ideas because reality follows a plan which must be clear and distinct. But most of life is profoundly vague, dynamic, slippery, chaotic, uncertain and blurred. Novelty in its process of emergence is inherently vague and ambiguous. It cannot have any other state without being destroyed.

See: Hunches, Vagueness, Emergence.

Example of Ambiguity:

We need to not only welcome ambiguity but develop techniques to actively work within this condition. This indeterminate logic means that ideas are not the be all and end all of innovation. In fact ideas play a small role in the early stages of innovation -- they act as hunches -- provocations to experiments. Doing, making, following, co-evolving are all more critical in the early phases of innovation. Our cultural bias towards ideas is a huge handicap to innovation.