Evolution

Evolution is a behavior that emerges in any system that has:

1. Mutation
2. Heredity
3. Selection

Evolutionary systems often generate unexpected solutions. Nature selects for good enough.

There is no such thing as advantageous in a general sense. There is only advantageous for the circumstances you’re living in. — Olivia Judson, Santa Fe Institute

Evolving systems exist in punctuated equilibrium.

[[Punctuated equilibrium]]

Questions:

• What systems (beside biology) exhibit evolutionary behavior? Remember, evolution happens in any system with mutation, heredity, selection.
• What happens to an evolutionary system when you remove mutation? Heredity? Selection?
• Do you see a system with one of these properties? How can you introduce the other two?

[[provoking emergence]]

Resources: Evolutionary Systems on Wikipedia.