Taking it a step further, how would simple algorithms behave when viewed in this way? Rather that just the outcome, we could observe a possibility space...

Michael Levin has talked about interesting dynamics with the bubble sort algorithm, which is only a few lines of code, that have parallels in biological processes, suggesting there is a more nuanced logic to nature that we are not seeing

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bigmadshoe 17 hours ago | parent | next [-]

This sounds a lot like the programs encoded by neural networks.

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moi2388 17 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Isn’t that just done in a higher level language, tweaking the algorithm to allow duplicates, and then being surprised there is clustering?

I mean, I don’t see why that is special? Correct me if I’m wrong. I like his research and views on biological electric spaces, but this I did not understand.

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willguest 17 hours ago | parent [-]

the clustering isn't surprising? are you saying that it is an artefact of the higher level representation? special - perhaps not by itself, but when the same strategy is also expressed by single cell organisms, at least intriguing

	▲	moi2388 13 hours ago \| parent [-]
		It randomly gives types to cells. Certain cells move left if the left value is bigger. Other cells move right if the right value is smaller. Others randomly move back and forth. I fail to see how it’s surprising you don’t end up with a complete sort, yet still with clusters. That’s exactly what I’d naively expect to happen.