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From: vaissier@efrei.fr (Amaury de la Vaissiere)
Subject: Re: The evolution of communication
Message-ID: <1994Nov16.132448.9132@efrei.fr>
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Date: Wed, 16 Nov 1994 13:24:48 GMT
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Albert van Breemen wrote:
>The idea is to have an environment with 'creatures'. By evolution this
>creature have to develop some kind of communication. It interrest me, if
>the environment is changed, what kind of communication there will be and
>for what purpose the creature will begin to communicate.

It is indeed very interresting. I think that the key to AI is in GA, some kind
of fuzzy logic, and communication between some agents (cf Minsky).
This structure is still to be invented, but your project migth be very usefull
for developping , later, an AI.

>* What is exactly communication between two or more creatures?

You certainly wanted to ask: What types of communications exist? 

Many! You will certainly find them in the appropriate litterature (sorry I have
no references).

>  Is reacting on signs of the environment of the creature (whether these
>  signs are generated by an other creature or the environment) a kind
>  of communication or not? Or is this just reacting?

Reaction is a way to exchange information if the other can perceive it. If you
react in front of a plant, you don't communicate with it. If you react in
front an animal (for exemple a Lion), you communicate with it, although your
message is simple.

>* What kind of fitness function I have to use?
>  Karl could define the lenght of the path as fitness, I can not define
>  'a fine chat between creatures' as fitness.

To give the ability to communicate to the creatures is all that you need to do.
The fitness function can be, as always, the ability to survive, which it self
depends on the environment you want to create.

* Does anyone know why, when and how the first creature in nature began to
  communicate?

What did the first one? We can never be sure because we were not there.
It migth have been for intimidation, mating, warning of danger, ... It 
certainly happened very soon in the first life forms.

I advise you to read also comp.ai.alife.

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