I am not sure what you mean by “algorithm” here, but the book you link repeatedly acknowledges that of course Natural Selection is an “optimization process”, though there are of course disagreements about the exact details. The book has not a single mention of the word “algorithm” so presumably you are using it here synonymous with “optimization process”, for which the book includes quotes like:
“selection is obviously [to some degree] an optimizing process”
The book then discusses various limits to the degree to which evolution will arrive at optimal solutions, but the book seems quite clear that calling evolution an optimization process is fine, though also often leads to miscommunication and conveys some wrong intuitions.
Sure. It’s an optimization process. At least in my vocabulary process and algorithm are more or less synonymous. But totally fine with calling it a process instead.
What in your mind are the wrong intuition created from calling it an algorithm?
(I was objecting to Dan’s point. I think evolution is both an optimization process and meaningfully described as an “optimization algorithm”. I don’t really know what Dan’s point is, since the book he linked doesn’t super agree with it, though it does provide nuance to the degree to which evolution could be described as an optimization process)
I am not sure what you mean by “algorithm” here, but the book you link repeatedly acknowledges that of course Natural Selection is an “optimization process”, though there are of course disagreements about the exact details. The book has not a single mention of the word “algorithm” so presumably you are using it here synonymous with “optimization process”, for which the book includes quotes like:
“selection is obviously [to some degree] an optimizing process”
The book then discusses various limits to the degree to which evolution will arrive at optimal solutions, but the book seems quite clear that calling evolution an optimization process is fine, though also often leads to miscommunication and conveys some wrong intuitions.
Sure. It’s an optimization process. At least in my vocabulary process and algorithm are more or less synonymous. But totally fine with calling it a process instead.
What in your mind are the wrong intuition created from calling it an algorithm?
(I was objecting to Dan’s point. I think evolution is both an optimization process and meaningfully described as an “optimization algorithm”. I don’t really know what Dan’s point is, since the book he linked doesn’t super agree with it, though it does provide nuance to the degree to which evolution could be described as an optimization process)
Got it.