Then we develop ways of breaking out of local maxima.

Wherever we can recognise a problem we can solve it.

Nobody is going to recognize anything if the institutions of mathematics are torn down.

Tao's point is that we have a method already.

This isn’t true, as there are plenty of things proven beyond reach.

And plenty of things, eventually solvable, can create major problems that could both be avoided and the problem solved by taking a much better path.

Having technology and the ability to safely and sanely use the technology needs to progress together at a similar rate. The failure to do this is even a reasonable and common solution to the Great Filter. Jared Diamonds book “Collapse” has ample examples of cultures that wiped themselves completely out via not having this balance, so it’s not simply a theory.