Art and Interactions
Organic Art The technique of Genetic Algorithms is widely applicable, even in art. If we code genes to refer to some feature of an image or music we can evolve extraordinary organically based artforms or music. Any system of building blocks can be readily adapted to these procedures and in this way transcend automatically the imagination of its creator. By constraining the system by the desired criteria (tests) we can allow design processes to evolve as a background task - resulting in quite unexpected innovations. Nature's way.
We must however be clear that we are not fully imitating nature here. Our artificial genes (called G-Types) have well defined correspondences with function or form (called P-Types). We also have only one chromosome of very limited length in our genome, whereas natural genotypes contain many chromosomes, each with thousands of genes.In nature genes translate to body form (phenotype or morphology) via a very complex interactive process, the form is itself an emergent phenomena dependent on the interaction of genes with themselves, with the cell chemistry and with the surrounding environment. We cannot predict this process adequately without understanding the nature of emergence. Genetic engineering, whilst highly useful, is a very dangerous process. The side effects of any changes to a such a complex and highly nonlinear process as life are, to say the least, unpredictable.