dhw: What are these guidelines? The innovation will not work if it stops the organism from functioning, and so clearly the range of innovation is restricted to what an organism can do and what the environment will allow it to do. But a restriction on what can be done is not a guideline for inventing something new. Either the organism invents or it does what it is told. Weasel words like “guidelines” don't explain your “semi”.-The limits are restrictions on the direction and extent of innovations.