The Minkowski's challenge

The argument is very simplistic.In biology we are dealing with more complex systems which are generated in a completely different way from the virus (i.e. the virus has no equivalent to developmental biology - interestingly Dawkin's biomorphs DO have a very simple analog to developmental processes)Any experiment based on a single selective pressure is oversimplified. In real biology there are multiple selective pressures - and there is iteration (i.e. real evolution will offer a series of selective pressures).To prove the point the argument either has to show that the proposed limits are inherent to any evolutionary process or that biological evolution shares the same limits. That means that it has to address the two points I raise above.So, at present I cannot see why that the argument tells us anything useful about biological evolution.

quote:

---

You are all trying to convince me that forcing a small stupid self replicator to evolve encryption is harder than the whole evolution of men?

---

It would be very misleading to say that. It would be more accurate to say that GIVEN the circumstances of the "experiment" it would be more difficult to evolve encryption there than it would be to evolve a human-equivalent under the conditions that actually applied to the evolution of life.The viruses of the experiment are less capable of evolving than living things are.Selection is restricted to a single, relatively simple and unchanging criterion.

quote:

---

Dear Barbarian,
I am not assembly expert, but please notice that the least mutation in biological systems is disastrous as well. so this program is no difference.

---

Perhaps you would liek to support that claim. My understanding is that biological systems are far more robust than that.

quote:

---

But after all said and done,
Can i now conclude that you all failed to force this program to evolve encryption?

---

Yuo can conclude that nobody has bothered to try because nobody feels that it has any relevance to biological evolution. If you disagree it is up to you to make your case.