From: James Ganong (JGanong@webtv.net)
Date: Tue Dec 22 1998 - 23:01:11 MST
Billy brown wrote:
In principle you might be able to make devices capable of evolution, but
you would sacrifice performance and predictability to achieve that goal.
According to a report on NPR a couple of months ago, this has been done.
A chip has been developed for use in A-life research that can modify its
own connections. This produced several different chips that could meet
the criteria of success (BTW, please forgive the lack of detail, I'll
try & find exact references) after several generations. Some of the
designs
were odd in that several connections semed to serve no useful
purpose---until, when those superfluous connections were removed, the
chips no longer worked.
The researcher involved drew some interesting theological conclusions:
Assume a Creator Who sets the starting conditions for a system, then
lets it run along Darwinian principles of selection & mutation. If the
system runs long enough, it is possible for that system to evolve into a
tremendously complex thing which is *beyond the understanding of the
Creator & beyond Its power to interact with meaningfully.*
God isn't dead, just perplexed.
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