Given that human beings are not perfect, errors are an inevitable. If the consequences of our errors were always minor, limited, and easily remedied, it would be an error to call "error" a problem. However, the social and technological systems which man is developing are becoming more complex, thus increasing the risk that human error, miscalculation or misinterpretation of data will lead to accidents, disasters or social crises. The belief that reassigning tasks to computers is a solution is, in fact, part of the problem: ultimately, every machine depends on the competence of its human makers and operators. High technology does not decrease the possibility of human error, it increases it. Power is concentrated to the extent that a single fault can be disastrous.
The arms race has finally provided man with the means of putting an end to his species. Political wisdom has so far averted this final disaster but it cannot insure against military miscalculation or against human or technical error, both of which could lead to the same fearful end.
Good people can have a bad day. And when those people are pilots, military commanders, or construction supervisors, their bad day can result in a bad day for hundreds of others.
Any system which depends on human reliability is unreliable.
To err is human, but it feels divine (Mae West).
One man's error is another man's data.
All great discoveries are made by mistake.