On Genetic Relativism
The Von Neumann Self-reproducing
The von Neumann Architecture
Now this set of von Neumann self-reproducers anchored on a single
have precisely this in common: they process the same formal
``genetic language'' for describing machines. In biological
terms we may say that this set incorporates a fixed, or
absolute mapping between genotype (description tape) and
phenotype (self-reproducing automaton).
Thus, in committing ourselves (following von Neumann) to solving the problem of the evolutionary growth of complexity purely within the resources of a single such set, we are also committing ourselves to the equivalent of what I have elsewhere called Genetic Absolutism (McMullin, 1992b, Section 5.3), within the analysis of our formal or artificial system.2 I should note that, in that paper, I argue at length against the idea of Genetic Absolutism; but not in the sense that it is ``bad'' in itself--it just is not a tenable theory of biological evolution. Now von Neumann is not yet trying to capture all the complications of biological evolution: he is merely trying to establish that some key features, at least, can be recreated in a formal, or artificial, system. If this can be done within what is, in effect, a framework of Genetic Absolutism, and if there is some advantage to doing this in that particular way, then the fact that it is still ``unbiological'' (in this specific respect) should not be held too severely against it. (Indeed, there are arguably much more severe discrepancies than this in any case.)
Now, as it happens, adopting Genetic Absolutism does
have a significant advantage for von Neumann. Working within
such a framework it is necessary (for the solution of
von Neumann's problem) to exhibit one core general constuctive
automaton, ; and it is necessary to establish that
this is sufficiently powerful to satisfy the informal
requirements of the evolutionary growth of complexity; and it
is finally necessary to show that, based on the formal
genetic language processed by , there is a reasonable likelihood
that most, if not all, of the corresponding self-reproducers will
be directly or indirectly connected under mutation. But if all
this can be done, then the problem immediately at issue for
von Neumann can, indeed be solved.
On Genetic Relativism
The Von Neumann Self-reproducing
The von Neumann Architecture
Copyright © 2000 All Rights Reserved.
Timestamp: 2000-08-16