exponential change
The deep integration of computational technology in every area of human endevor result in a knowledge explosion. We are creating more new objectivly true scientfic knowledge faster than
ever before in our experience of history. This new knowledged means that powerful new non linear technolgies are introduced to the market before we understand their properties.
For example, we learned that gentic was stored in aperiodic crystal, sequenced the genome and developed gene editing software technolgy within a few decades, regulation had barely been
proposed and was / is years from being enacted when CRISPR gene editing tech became commonly available.
Exponetial technolgies like CRISPR have non linear properties. A tiny input by a single individual in a single experiment could alter the destiny of a species or extinguish its future.
Non linear technolgies present unprecedented opportunity as well as immediate non linear existential threats.
When a new non linear technology is introduced, like CRISPR gene editing tech, it interacts with all the other existing non linear technolgies to produce emergent opportunity - and the inseperable existential threat.
Any determined individual, even one who never went to school, could extinguish all life on Earth. Or most of the human life.
This danger is not confined to CRISPR there are many non linear technolgies and they ALL interact with each other and each, and can and do produce either emergent threat on widespread adoption or on interaction with each currently existing non linear technology.
As you can see the opportunities and existential threat presented by the introduction of non linear technolgies accumulate exponentially as well. Cubically would be my guess, but IDK.
Example
Anyone with 144 dollars can buy a CRISR gene editing kit here http://www.the-odin.com/diy-crispr-kit/
Modifying an existing common virus or bacteria is the simplest - can we find a script kiddie tier source code recipe for a deadly plague?
A search of current non linear environment locates
The 1917 flu virus recipe
https://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=353
World over.
We need away to manage exponetial change. Things don't seem to happen faster than they used to, they DO happen faster. The rate at which "things happen faster" is also increasing.
Our laws, our regulatory structures and legal system was developed to handle the geometric or additive growth of agricultural and early industrial civilization.
The US constitution stands outside of time, but we can throw out the million page plus tax code, the 100s of millions of pages of financial regulation intended only to confound by complexity,
and the criminal justice system, shame of the entire spiral nebulae. It all rests on secure, identity based networking.
Once you have an information system that makes it impossible for people to anonymous manipulate the information supply a non linear environment allows much better information distribution
and creates an informed We the People leading to better social decision, equitable justice, dynamic regulation, policy and decision making. "dynamic" being the word. feed back systems.