Self-improvement in a complex cybernetic system and its implications for biology

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Systems theory
• Computational simulation

Background:

• Macroevolution is often viewed as discontinuous, contrasting with microevolutionary principles.
• This perceived jerkiness is attributed to the complex, cybernetic nature of epigenetic systems.
• Such systems are expected to exhibit discontinuous behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the validity of the assumption that epigenetic systems inherently cause discontinuous macroevolution.
• To analyze self-improvement in complex cybernetic systems through computational modeling.

Main Methods:

• Computer simulations were employed to model the process of self-improvement.
• The study focused on a complex cybernetic system to observe evolutionary dynamics.
• Analysis centered on the impact of structural changes on system persistence and improvement.

Main Results:

• The simulated system demonstrated a tendency for self-improvement through the accumulation of minimal structural changes.
• Larger structural modifications were found to destabilize the system, leading to collapse rather than advancement.
• Cybernetic principles alone do not necessitate discrete evolutionary steps.

Conclusions:

• The inherent nature of complex cybernetic systems, including epigenetic ones, does not inherently drive macroevolution in discrete steps.
• Gradual accumulation of small changes appears to be a more consistent pattern of development in such systems.
• The assumption linking epigenetic complexity to discontinuous macroevolutionary jumps is not supported by cybernetic considerations alone.