# Each Evolutionary Stage Builds Tools for the Next by Ray Kurzweil > “One resource is the (ever-growing) order of the evolutionary process itself. Each stage of evolution provides more powerful tools for the next. In biological evolution, the advent of DNA allowed more powerful and faster evolutionary "experiments." Later, setting the "designs" of animal body plans during the Cambrian explosion allowed rapid evolutionary development of other body organs, such as the brain. Or to take a more recent example, the advent of computer-assisted design tools allows rapid development of the next generation of computers.” > **— Ray Kurzweil**, *2004, Edge Annual Question, “What's Your Law?”* ## Sources and Context - **Direct Edge response and surrounding essay:** [Kurzweil's Law (aka Law of Accelerating Returns)](https://www.edge.org/response-detail/10600) — Edge published this exact passage in its 2004 Annual Question collection, *WHAT'S YOUR LAW?*. The response page preserves the surrounding argument and qualifications. - **Complete local collection index:** [[research/Edge 2004 Full Quotation Curation|Edge 2004 Full Quotation Curation]] — retained source-first record for the complete response cohort and this passage's promotion status. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Edge|Edge]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Machine Succession|Machine Succession]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Evolutionary Roots of Silicon Valley|Valley Roots]] - **Article:** [[articles/Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution|Digital Darwinism]] - **Article:** [[articles/We Were Never Going to Make It|Never Going to Make It!]] - **Wiki map:** [[wiki/Evolutionary Biology|Evolutionary Biology]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Evolutionary Biology|Evolutionary Biology]] - [[wiki/Ray Kurzweil|Ray Kurzweil]] - [[wiki/Coevolution|Coevolution]] - [[wiki/Convergent Evolution|Convergent Evolution]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “One resource is the (ever-growing) order of the evolutionary process itself. Each stage of evolution provides more powerful tools for the next. In biological evolution, the advent of DNA allowed more powerful and faster evolutionary "experiments." Later, setting the "designs" of animal body plans during the Cambrian explosion allowed rapid evolutionary development of other body organs, such as the brain. Or to take a more recent example, the advent of computer-assisted design tools allows rapid development of the next generation of computers.” — Ray Kurzweil, 2004, Edge Annual Question, “What's Your Law?” https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-ray-kurzweil-each-evolutionary-stage-builds-tools ```