constructive neutral evolution

For the past few weeks, we've been conducting experiments in the Quandary Den, a simple game simulation where the players evolve strategies. We've been looking at how complex solutions can evolve from simpler ones. So far, no single technical definition captures everything we mean informally by complexity, but for our purposes here I am describing a solution as more complex if it involves more distinct parts that are each individually essential. Last week we confirmed that there are neutral roads to such complexity, … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Developing a Complex

When we last visited the Quandary Den, we saw how our players could take an adaptive path to complexity. By complexity, I mean that the solution to the challenge of the room involved multiple players making distinct and essential contributions. We saw that they were essential by looking at the last-on-the-bus (LOTB) score which looks at the difference between the team's result with that player and without. If a player has a LOTB score of zero, then their contributions are not essential; they might score one or more … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Traveling on the Level