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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Cognitive science

Background:

  • Symbolic communication is considered a hallmark of human evolution and cognition.
  • The natural emergence of symbolic communication is poorly understood due to a lack of fossil evidence.
  • It is widely assumed that only humans naturally possess symbolic communication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the spontaneous emergence of symbolic communication through an evolutionary pathway.
  • To determine if natural selection can drive the evolution of symbolic communication without pre-existing cognitive abilities.
  • To model the evolutionary origins of communication in a simulated environment.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a simulated world where initially noncommunicating robots evolved.
  • Implemented a single communication channel and reproductive success tied to mate-finding.
  • Observed evolutionary trajectories under natural selection pressures.

Main Results:

  • 99% of robot populations evolved indexical communication from noncommunicating origins.
  • 9% of populations developed symbolic communication, enabling information exchange on two spatial dimensions via a one-dimensional channel.
  • This enhanced communication improved reproductive success.

Conclusions:

  • Symbolic communication can emerge spontaneously under natural selection.
  • Cognitive preadaptations or iconic communication are not necessarily prerequisites for symbolic communication evolution.
  • Robotic evolution provides a model for understanding the origins of natural symbolic communication.