Chapter 9 (Sally & Sabreena)

Neo-Darwinism

Evolution as a natural drift:Linkage and Pleiotropy; presence of a gene does not result in isolated trait (few exceptions such as eye color), provides difficulty for adaptation.
Genetic Interdependence;How genes develop is from "within" or internal factor, not external
Statio; group of species that will survive over a long range
Unit selection- Structural coupling; between the environment and the actual species. The ideal situation is not to take the optimal design but to take the satisfactory design. One creature will die out based on there optimal design for that environment.

Evolution by nature can be articulated in four basic points. (p196)
1. The unit of evolution network capable of a rich repertoire of self- organizing configurations.
2. These configurations generate selection, an ongoing process of satisficing that triggers change in the form of viable trajectories.
3. The specific mode of change of the unit of selection is the interwoven result of the hierarchy of sub networks.
4. The opposition between inner and outer causal factors is replaced by a co implicative relation.
"Enactive" (p206)
Structural coupling is the term for structure determined engagement of a given unity with either its environment or another unity. The process of engagement which effects a history either its environment or another unity. The Process of engagement which effects a history or recurrent interactions leading to the structural congruence.
Two key points; optimal and Viable.
Optimal: the ideal state of a certain object. Viable; does what is needed to survive successfully (does not have the notion of idealism.
Brings us to the notion of intentionality; focuses on the structure of a system. (p206)
Enactive Cognitive Science (p205)
"Representation is the wrong unit of abstraction in building the bulkiest parts of intelligence system"
"The goal is not the usual decomposition of a system by functioning, but rather by activity" (p209)
Thus we are a product of out environment.
Brooks’s model of artificial intelligence; different set of subsystems, hierarchy structure.