Adaptation in natural and artificial systems: An introductory analysis
with applications to biology, control, and artificial intelligence
University of Michigan Press, (1975)Abstract
John Holland's Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems is one
of the classics in the field of complex adaptive systems. Holland
is known as the father of genetic algorithms and classifier systems
and in this tome he describes the theory behind these algorithms.
Drawing on ideas from the fields of biology and economics, he shows
how computer programs can evolve. The book contains mathematical
proofs that are accessible only to those with strong backgrounds
in engineering or science. Genetic algorithms are playing an increasingly
important role in studies of complex adaptive systems, ranging from
adaptive agents in economic theory to the use of machine learning
techniques in the design of complex devices such as aircraft turbines
and integrated circuits. Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems
is the book that initiated this field of study, presenting the theoretical
foundations and exploring applications. In its most familiar form,
adaptation is a biological process, whereby organisms evolve by rearranging
genetic material to survive in environments confronting them. In
this now classic work, Holland presents a mathematical model that
allows for the nonlinearity of such complex interactions. He demonstrates
the model's universality by applying it to economics, physiological
psychology, game theory, and artificial intelligence and then outlines
the way in which this approach modifies the traditional views of
mathematical genetics. Initially applying his concepts to simply
defined artificial systems with limited numbers of parameters, Holland
goes on to explore their use in the study of a wide range of complex,
naturally occuring processes, concentrating on systems having multiple
factors that interact in nonlinear ways. Along the way he accounts
for major effects of coadaptation and coevolution: the emergence
of building blocks, or schemata, that are recombined and passed on
to succeeding generations to provide, innovations and improvements.
John H. Holland is Professor of Psychology and Professor of Electrical
Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan. He
is also Maxwell Professor at the Santa Fe Institute and is Director
of the University of Michigan/Santa Fe Institute Advanced Research
Program.
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