teleonomic creativity: computers with a certain kind of fitness.

'We argue that an analog process is common to all manifestations of creativity within teleonomic systems and describe this process and its cause. In order to demonstrate this process and to make quantitative comparisons, we utilise the metaphor of an adaptive fitness landscape and simple statistical techniques. The term fitness in our case describes the condition of a well-defined property being suitable for a purpose, rather than an overall evaluation of many complex interactions measuring reproductive success. ... We also recognise that creative behaviour is most successful when the environment is unstable. We note the existence of a strategic meta-parameter that allows self-adaptation when tuned via a feedback loop from the environment. We show that creativity can be understood as a random process with an optimal setting for the standard deviation that maximises the probability of hitting a target of higher fitness. We show how Carnap entropy can can be used to recognise teleonomic creativity. We support our claims with computer simulations and observe several occurrences of teleonomic creativity in nature. (festival of doubt)

'Journalists have begun to hook up with their assigned military units ready to travel with them to the front line of any war in Iraq. About 500 journalists, 100 or so from non-American media, will start arriving at the eight staging points across the world to join either ground troops, marines or the US air force. Journalists have been told not to wear bright clothes or perfumed scents and to write their social security number and blood type on their left boots.' (via wt)

and yes sir, yes, you get free meals, if you stay with us: 'available in vegetarian and kosher "on request"'.