Serendipity: “Expect also the Unexpected”

Abstract

Serendipity is defined as the art of discovering an unsought finding. Over a thousand examples have been collected and examined, including material from unpublished work by the American sociologist, Robert Merton. It is suggested that serendipity play a supporting but essential role in discoveries in science, technology, the arts and daily life. The phenomenon deserves more serious attention as it may offer prospects of unsought benefits in all these fields of endeavour.

Reaching High: Translating Emergent Practices of Street-Level Drug Users to Institute Harm Reduction in Durban—Implications for Urban Governance

“…The municipality’s harm reduction approach emerged predominantly from an unexpected event, i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic. This story thus illuminates the potential to recognise and leverage value from unexpected events (van Andel, 1992 ). Positive developmental outcomes were largely achieved due to a paradoxically enabling national and local political landscape.…”

“…American sociologist Robert Merton popularised the role of unintended or unanticipated consequences in the 1930s. Building on his work, van Andel ( 1992 ) defines ‘serendipity’ as the art of discovering an unsought finding. Recognising and leveraging value from the unexpected, and acting upon this in equally unanticipated ways, creates capacity to capitalise on unprecedented events or information through transformative means (Cunha et al, 2010 ).…”

Appropriation of Technology as a Creative Process

“…Creativity researchers have a name for effects such as those mentioned above. They call it`s erendipity'' ( van Andel 1992). It means`u nexpected occurrence'' and has its origins in the sociology of science.…”

“…Robert Merton and Elinor Barber wrote a typescript which was never published in 1958:``The serendipity pattern refers to the fairly common experience of observing an unanticipated, anomalous and strategic datum which becomes the occasion for developing a new theory or for extending an existing theory.'' (Merton/ Barber in: van Andel 1992: 23) Following this definition, purposeful research projects are accompanied by unexpected effects; not going along with the original question but opening new perspectives for research.``Serendipity'' describes the art of discovering an unsought finding.`S uccessful errors'' belong to this category. A research group wanted to join the wings of an aeroplane with an extremely adhesive gum they hoped to invent.…”