Evolutionary Game

If we understand how "evolution by natural selection" works, we can use it for our own design works. People have been using "genetic algorithm" successfully for many design works. How does it work? A simple description: Keep making copies [reproduction] with some random, minor variations [mutations]. Most of the variations do not work or improve the original design. But rarely some variations may improve the design. Eliminate the ones that do not help, and take the ones that help and repeat the process over and over again.

In nature, this process is SLOW as it takes so many generations and millions of years. But, for our design work, we can simulate it on the computer millions of times faster. Since viruses reproduce so fast, we already have many successful corona-virus variations.

❓QUIZ 1: What is the difference (advantages and drawbacks) between asexual and sexual reproduction? How can we implement it in the "genetic algorithm"?

Whether it is evolutionary design or intelligent design, everything comes at a COST. This has nothing to do with inefficiency or imperfection. If we gain something,  we lose something.

When we use "genetic algorithm", it may come up with some designs and solutions that may work at some level. But we may reject them for various high-level reasons. But, natural evolution is a BLIND process (except the environmental pressure, there is no one to supervise) and so there are many imperfections and bad designs – we suffer, species suffer as the consequences of them.

❓QUIZ 2: What are some of the flaws in our body or mind designs? (By knowing them, we can seek appropriate remedies where possible)

Why are more than 99% of species extinct? Because species are evolved towards adapting to the environment, but the environment is not fixed and is constantly changing – sometimes so drastically like ice-age, global warming, volcanic eruption, asteroid impact, land-mass drifting, etc. So evolution is a continual and ever changing process. As it is SLOW to adapt to the environmental changes, there is always some MISMATCH between the design of the species and the environment. One solution evolution came up with is the brain, that can LEARN and adapt within a life-time, rather than slow changes over many generations. But this solution comes with its own cost! Now from gene-evolution, we have meme-evolution!

❓QUIZ 3: What are the COSTS associated with the brain? What are the FLAWS and MISMATCH in the brain design? (This would help us to understand why we should not always focus on efficiency, why we should be comfortable with imperfection, why we need to relax and quieten our mind, and why we need some solitude)