Perspectives on Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems

This book is a collection of essays exploring adaptive systems from many perspectives, ranging from computational applications to models of adaptation in living and social systems. The essays on computation discuss history, theory, applications, and possible threats of adaptive and evolving computations systems. The modeling chapters cover topics such as evolution in microbial populations, the evolution of cooperation, and how ideas about evolution relate to economics.
The title Perspectives on Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems honors John Holland, whose 1975 Book, Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems has become a classic text for many disciplines in which adaptation play a central role. The essays brought together here were originally written to honor John Holland, and span most of the different areas touched by his wide-ranging and influential research career. The authors include some of the most prominent scientists in the fields of artificial intelligence evolutionary computation, and complex adaptive systems. Taken together, these essays present a broad modern picture of current research on adaptation as it relates to computers, living systems, society, and their complex interactions.

Lashon Booker is Principal Scientist at MITRE Corp. Stephanie Forrest is Professor of Computer Science at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Melanie Mitchell is Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, OGI School of Science and Engineering at Oregon Health and Science University. Rick Riolo is Research Scientist, Director of the Computing Lab at the Center for the Study of Complex Systems at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.