This paper provides an invaluable critique of the capabilities of Avida to spontaneously evolve sophisticated new Prescriptive Information (PI), bona fide organization (as opposed to mere low-informational physicodynamic self-ordering), and ever-increasing higher formal function. The role of "investigator involvement" and artificial selection must be taken into account when programming cybernetic models of supposedly natural phenomena. Inherent human steering is often hidden in the experimental design. The application of sound population genetics principles to such models also sheds new light on their much touted creative capabilities.
Excellent paper
11 June 2011
This paper provides an invaluable critique of the capabilities of Avida to spontaneously evolve sophisticated new Prescriptive Information (PI), bona fide organization (as opposed to mere low-informational physicodynamic self-ordering), and ever-increasing higher formal function. The role of "investigator involvement" and artificial selection must be taken into account when programming cybernetic models of supposedly natural phenomena. Inherent human steering is often hidden in the experimental design. The application of sound population genetics principles to such models also sheds new light on their much touted creative capabilities.
Competing interests
None declared