[freeper4u]

Andrew,

In this example, the point I set out to make, and I think it was proved in the paper is that many problems that would be hard to solve by direct computation can be easily solved indirectly by genetic algorithms.

No simulation will ever be as good as the real world. But you can still learn a lot about the real world from a simulation.

Of course there are a zillion other hard problems that real creatures need to solve in the real world, but the Sims simulation effectively singled out a few of them and successfully showed they can be addressed quite effectively by genetic algorithms instead of a solution arrived at by direct design.

[colorado tanker]

No simulation will ever be as good as the real world. But you can still learn a lot about the real world from a simulation.

You mean like the global warming models??

[AndrewC]

but the Sims simulation effectively singled out a few of them and successfully showed they can be addressed quite effectively by genetic algorithms instead of a solution arrived at by direct design.

What was demonstrated was virtual. Real joints, with real motive elements requiring real energy sources and real raw materials occuring in a hostile environment was not demonstrated.