%0 Journal Article %1 AllenMcGlade:1987 %A Allen, Peter M. %A McGlade, J. M. %D 1987 %J Foundations of Physics %K evolution methodology physics theory %N 7 %P 723--728 %R 10.1007/BF01889545 %T Evolutionary Drive: The Effect of Microscopic Diversity, Error Making and Noise %V 17 %X In order to model any macroscopic system, it is necessary to aggregate both spatially and taxonomically. If average processes are assumed, then kinetic equations of population dynamics can be derived. Much effort has gone into showing the important effects introduced by non-average effects (fluctuations) in generating symmetry-breaking transitions and creating structure and form. However, the effects of microscopic diversity have been largely neglected. We show that evolution will select for populations which retain variability,even though this is, at any given time, loss-making, predicting that we shall not observe populations with optimal behavior, but populations which can learn. This lesser short-term efficiency may be why natural diversity is so great. Evolution is seen to be drivenby the noise to which it leads.

@article{AllenMcGlade:1987, abstract = {In order to model any macroscopic system, it is necessary to aggregate both spatially and taxonomically. If average processes are assumed, then kinetic equations of population dynamics can be derived. Much effort has gone into showing the important effects introduced by non-average effects (fluctuations) in generating symmetry-breaking transitions and creating structure and form. However, the effects of microscopic diversity have been largely neglected. We show that evolution will select for populations which retain variability,even though this is, at any given time, loss-making, predicting that we shall not observe populations with optimal behavior, but populations which can learn. This lesser short-term efficiency may be why natural diversity is so great. Evolution is seen to be drivenby the noise to which it leads.}, added-at = {2010-03-02T17:25:53.000+0100}, author = {Allen, Peter M. and McGlade, J. M.}, bdsk-url-1 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01889545}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/23e2f097386ca5a5ab3a950d622c45011/jrennstich}, date-modified = {2010-02-28 22:20:05 -0500}, doi = {10.1007/BF01889545}, interhash = {cd62f9c474a615d756feeddda721f739}, intrahash = {3e2f097386ca5a5ab3a950d622c45011}, journal = {Foundations of Physics}, keywords = {evolution methodology physics theory}, month = Jul, number = 7, pages = {723--728}, timestamp = {2010-03-02T17:27:21.000+0100}, title = {Evolutionary Drive: The Effect of Microscopic Diversity, Error Making and Noise}, volume = 17, year = 1987 }