A failure of imagination is a circumstance wherein something seemingly predictable (particularly from hindsight) and undesirable was not planned for.
The field of epistemology studies knowledge and human understanding, and failures of understanding. Failure of imagination is related to Unknown unknowns and Black swan theory, popularized by Nassim Taleb in his 2007 book The Black Swan, describing unexpected or unpredicted incidents with significant negative impact.
Read more about Failure Of Imagination: Intelligence Failures of Imagination and The 9/11 Attacks, Accidents Related Failures of Imagination
Famous quotes containing the words failure of, failure and/or imagination:
“It’s a failure of national vision when you regard children as weapons, and talents as materials you can mine, assay, and fabricate for profit and defense.”
—John Hersey (1914–1993)
“Insurrection. An unsuccessful revolution; disaffection’s failure to substitute misrule for bad government.”
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914)
“In love and friendship the imagination is as much exercised as the heart; and if either is outraged the other will be estranged. It is commonly the imagination which is wounded first, rather than the heart,—it is so much the more sensitive.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)