[FRIAM] stygmergy, CA's, and [biological] development

[uǝlƃ ☤>$]

Yes, some types of CA can be stygmergic. The separation between the environment and the agent is clear in that the "agent" is the per-cell algorithm (some CAs have multiple algorithms, a spectrum from a global algorithm updating all cells to a different algorithm for each cell). The "environment" is the state of the cell at any given time. You might even go so far as to allow for the evolution of the algorithm(s) based on the contents of the cell ... or the evolution of the structure of the cellular state based on its history (the simplest form being where each cell accumulates state).

But, no, not everything is stygmergic. A typical CA, with a global, synchronized, buffered update and all you're looking at  is the historical visualization of that state would not be. The primary problem is the buffering. If the buffer is flushed every cycle, there's no cumulative effect. So your example below is not stygmergic.

On 10/19/21 12:24 PM, thompnickson2 at gmail.com wrote:
> Let me try to stretch the point and see if I can bring you on board.  In the first place, mimimally, stygmergy need not involve sociality.  So, If I go out on a hike and cut blazes on trees on my way out so I can find my way home, that is stygmergy in good standing, right? 
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> Now let’s try a very simple ca where the rule is, if nothing is written, write x; if x, white o beside; if o, write x beside. 
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> X
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> OXO
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> XOXOX
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> ETC. 
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> Now, if we consider what is written at each stage as a thing put out in the environment and the “rules” what the organism brings to the table  then each line is the joint product of the previous line and the rule, hence stygmergy. 
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> Am I stretching a point.  Is everything not stygmergy?

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