Clark, Edward Blair, Hickinbotham, Simon John orcid.org/0000-0003-0880-4460 and Stepney, Susan orcid.org/0000-0003-3146-5401 (2017) Semantic closure demonstrated by the evolution of a universal constructor architecture in an artificial chemistry. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 20161033. ISSN 1742-5662
Abstract
We present a novel stringmol-based artificial chemistry system modelled on the universal constructor architecture (UCA) first explored by von Neumann. In a UCA, machines interact with an abstract description of themselves to replicate by copying the abstract description and constructing the machines that the abstract description encodes. DNA-based replication follows this architecture, with DNA being the abstract description, the polymerase being the copier, and the ribosome being the principal machine in expressing what is encoded on the DNA. This architecture is semantically closed as the machine that defines what the abstract description means is itself encoded on that abstract description. We present a series of experiments with the stringmol UCA that show the evolution of the meaning of genomic material, allowing the concept of semantic closure and transitions between semantically closed states to be elucidated in the light of concrete examples. We present results where, for the first time in an in silico system, simultaneous evolution of the genomic material, copier and constructor of a UCA, giving rise to viable offspring.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | ©2017 The Author(s). |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Electronic Engineering (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Computer Science (York) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number EPSRC EP/F031033/1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNSPECIFIED |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 01 Jun 2017 09:30 |
Last Modified: | 17 Dec 2024 00:08 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2016.1033 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1098/rsif.2016.1033 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:117175 |