Defining and simulating open-ended novelty: requirements, guidelines, and challenges

Banzhaf, W, Baumgaertner, B, Beslon, G, Doursat, R, Foster, JA, McMullin, B, de Melo, VV, Miconi, T, Spector, L, Stepney, S and White, R (2016) Defining and simulating open-ended novelty: requirements, guidelines, and challenges. Theory in Biosciences, 135 (3). pp. 131-161. ISSN 1431-7613

Preview

Available under License In Copyright. Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

The open-endedness of a system is often defined as a continual production of novelty. Here we pin down this concept more fully by defining several types of novelty that a system may exhibit, classified as variation, innovation, and emergence. We then provide a meta-model for including levels of structure in a system’s model. From there, we define an architecture suitable for building simulations of open-ended novelty-generating systems and discuss how previously proposed systems fit into this framework. We discuss the design principles applicable to those systems and close with some challenges for the community.