Mechanisms for Evolutionary Reincarnation

Abstract

This paper describes the effects of adding gene reincarnation to a biologically inspired evolutionary algorithm. When using the biologically inspired part of the algorithm we are able to draw on experience from real life. Reincarnation capabilities, however, must be constructed without any real life experience to guide us. This paper addresses the question ‘can reincarnation be added to a genetic algorithm in such a way as to modify the resulting evolutionary process’? Reincarnation in this context requires that genetic information, saved from earlier generations, be bought back and reintroduced into the population at a later time. A simple algorithm is introduced that selects particular genetic material to add to the storage, performs regular culls of the stored material and inserts some of the stored material back into targeted individuals in later generations. Preliminary experiments show that while much of the reinserted material vanishes without having any obvious evolutionary effect, a small proportion remains for many generations and changes the course of the evolution compared to a genetic algorithm identical in all respects except that it lacks reincarnation.