Prebiotic Functional Programs: Endogenous Selection in an Artificial Chemistry
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866918135200743424 |
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| author | Vimal, Devansh Mathis, Cole Weimer, Westley Forrest, Stephanie |
| author_facet | Vimal, Devansh Mathis, Cole Weimer, Westley Forrest, Stephanie |
| contents | Artificial chemistry simulations produce many intriguing emergent behaviors, but they are often difficult to steer or control. This paper proposes a method for steering the dynamics of a classic artificial chemistry model, known as AlChemy (Algorithmic Chemistry), which is based on untyped lambda calculus. Our approach leverages features that are endogenous to AlChemy without constructing an explicit external fitness function or building learning into the dynamics. We demonstrate the approach by synthesizing non-trivial lambda functions, such as Church addition and succession, from simple primitives. The results provide insight into the possibility of endogenous selection in diverse systems such as autocatalytic chemical networks and software systems. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_03534 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Prebiotic Functional Programs: Endogenous Selection in an Artificial Chemistry Vimal, Devansh Mathis, Cole Weimer, Westley Forrest, Stephanie Formal Languages and Automata Theory Populations and Evolution Artificial chemistry simulations produce many intriguing emergent behaviors, but they are often difficult to steer or control. This paper proposes a method for steering the dynamics of a classic artificial chemistry model, known as AlChemy (Algorithmic Chemistry), which is based on untyped lambda calculus. Our approach leverages features that are endogenous to AlChemy without constructing an explicit external fitness function or building learning into the dynamics. We demonstrate the approach by synthesizing non-trivial lambda functions, such as Church addition and succession, from simple primitives. The results provide insight into the possibility of endogenous selection in diverse systems such as autocatalytic chemical networks and software systems. |
| title | Prebiotic Functional Programs: Endogenous Selection in an Artificial Chemistry |
| topic | Formal Languages and Automata Theory Populations and Evolution |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.03534 |