John Holland, RIP
[ by Charles Cameron — a Magister has departed ]
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I am saddened to hear that John Holland — the “father of genetic algorithms” — is no longer among us. Happily, I understand his passing was peaceful.
Obits:
Santa Fe Institute, Complexity science giant John Holland passes away at 86 Boston Globe, John H. Holland, 86; advanced study of complex adaptive systems Washington Post, Goodbye to the genius who changed the way we think New York Times, John Henry Holland, Who Computerized Evolution, Dies at 86
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I corresponded very briefly with John Holland, because of his interest in the Glass Bead Game — which he discussed in his Omni interview in connection with his own life’s work:
I’ve been working toward it all my life, this Das Glasperlenspiel. It was a very scholarly game, starting with an abacus, where people set up musical themes, then do variations on it, like a fugue. Then they’d expand it to where it could include other artistic forms, and eventually cultural symbols. It became a very sophisticated game for setting up themes, almost as a poet would, and building variations as a composer. It was a way of symbolizing music and of building broad insights into the world.
If I could get at all close to producing something like the glass bead game I can’t think of anything that would delight me more.
See also:
Omni, And then there was A-Life Wikipedia, John Henry Holland
h/t Mike Sellers
