In Iain M. Banks' work "The State of the Art," the narrator reflects on their superior intelligence, claiming to be the most intelligent entity within a hundred light years. This assertion highlights their advanced understanding of complex systems, emphasizing a significant level of cognitive ability. However, despite this intelligence, they admit to an inherent limitation: the unpredictability of physical interactions, specifically the path of a snooker ball after it has made several collisions.

This paradox illustrates a key theme in the narrative: even the most brilliant minds face challenges in forecasting outcomes in chaotic systems. The quote serves as a reminder that intelligence does not always equate to mastery over unpredictable phenomena, underscoring the complexity of the universe and the limits of even the greatest intellects when confronted with real-world dynamics.