Computer Programs to the Rescue!

AttentionKMartShoppers · Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:52 pm

http://www.uncommondescent.com/index.php/archives/1306

Avida is a computer simulation where artificial life forms evolve in artificial environments. An Avidian creature is made of very tiny amounts of software, a mere 20 bytes or more (a suspiciously low amount for a living creature!). The evolution of these make-believe organisms in make-believe environments has been the subject of various scientific studies and have been used to various ends.

...

I was doing some studies on these make-believe Avidian organisms by pouring unbelievable amounts of radiation on them. Imagine taking a pair of creatures and putting them in a microwave for 3 days at high power and then asking them to make offspring. Well that's exactly what I was simulating on these critters, and they were still reproducing like rabbits.

Is anyone amused that computer programs like this are used to defend evolution and attack ID (must read more of article for the knock-out punch and the radioactive underwear).

godslanguage · Post by **godslanguage** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:07 pm

I'm a intermediate computer programmer. Let me tell you something about this, the only way a computer program can simulate evolution is if the creator of the program believes in evolution and designs the program to generate the evolutionary process according to his own theory on it, or scientists theory. This means that either the computer program will be predictable according to this theory or will generate randomly and unknowilngly according to its own written code without a care. This can only prove one thing, didly squat!

AttentionKMartShoppers · Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:25 am

I can barely code in C and I know that.

Canuckster1127 · Post by **Canuckster1127** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:31 am

Are you suggesting that someone actually designed such a computer program?

What makes you so sure it didn't design itself?

Byblos · Post by **Byblos** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:30 pm

Canuckster1127 wrote:Are you suggesting that someone actually designed such a computer program?

What makes you so sure it didn't design itself?

This is too funny. I needed that, thanks.

BGoodForGoodSake · Post by **BGoodForGoodSake** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:23 pm

AttentionKMartShoppers wrote:I can barely code in C and I know that.

That's a logical falacy, if I write a program to simulate waves, does that mean ocean waves require intelligence? Is this information useless?

What a simulation program shows is that it is possible to reach a goal without specifying the steps, or designing a procedure. All one needs is to specify a goal and have a procedure for keeping the best solutions.

Evolution does not take place in a vacuum, it requires n environment. And what is an environment but a set of rules.

For instance we could start with a set of differently shaped boxes and the goal would be to fit as many of these boxes onto a truck. On the one hand we could develop a program with a specific algorithm designed to maximize the space.

On the other we could create a program which would randomly fill in the space, and weed out the least efficient solutions. After many iterations the best solution will be chosen.

In fact this type of programming has been used for supply chain management, the results are surprising and effective.

AttentionKMartShoppers · Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:17 pm

BGoodForGoodSake wrote:
AttentionKMartShoppers wrote:I can barely code in C and I know that.
That's a logical falacy, if I write a program to simulate waves, does that mean ocean waves require intelligence? Is this information useless?

What a simulation program shows is that it is possible to reach a goal without specifying the steps, or designing a procedure. All one needs is to specify a goal and have a procedure for keeping the best solutions.

Evolution does not take place in a vacuum, it requires n environment. And what is an environment but a set of rules.

For instance we could start with a set of differently shaped boxes and the goal would be to fit as many of these boxes onto a truck. On the one hand we could develop a program with a specific algorithm designed to maximize the space.

On the other we could create a program which would randomly fill in the space, and weed out the least efficient solutions. After many iterations the best solution will be chosen.

In fact this type of programming has been used for supply chain management, the results are surprising and effective.

What logical fallacy? I don't see where any of us said waves programmed by someone, therefore ocean waves require intellegence (or anything analogous to that). Or any such nonsense.

BGoodForGoodSake · Post by **BGoodForGoodSake** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:38 pm

AttentionKMartShoppers wrote: What logical fallacy? I don't see where any of us said waves programmed by someone, therefore ocean waves require intellegence (or anything analogous to that). Or any such nonsense.

What is it that you are trying to say then?

Explain yourself! Yer tounge's flappin' but no noise is comin' outa yer big mouth!

AttentionKMartShoppers · Sat Jul 15, 2006 7:23 pm

BGoodForGoodSake wrote:
AttentionKMartShoppers wrote: What logical fallacy? I don't see where any of us said waves programmed by someone, therefore ocean waves require intellegence (or anything analogous to that). Or any such nonsense.
What is it that you are trying to say then?

Explain yourself! Yer tounge's flappin' but no noise is comin' outa yer big mouth!

OK...I did not say anything as absurd as what you're accusing me of saying. Please point it out. The end. I'm suffering from heat exhaustion, and I'm kinda off my rocker, or at least that's my current excuse. Until we meet again.