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Created page with "'''Home * People * Nils Barricelli''' FILE:barricelli.jpg|border|right|thumb|180px|link=http://makezine.com/08/dyson/| Nils Aall Barricelli <ref>[https://..."
'''[[Main Page|Home]] * [[People]] * Nils Barricelli'''
[[FILE:barricelli.jpg|border|right|thumb|180px|link=http://makezine.com/08/dyson/| Nils Aall Barricelli <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson] ''Early experiments in digital evolution''. From the column [http://makezine.com/dyson/ Retrospect] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson]</ref> ]]
'''Nils Aall Barricelli''', (January 24, 1912 – January 27, 1993)<br/>
was a Norwegian-Italian [[Psychology|psychologist]] and mathematician. He did early computer-assisted experiments in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis symbiogenesis] and [[Genetic Programming#EvolutionaryAlgorithms|evolutionary algorithms]], considered pioneering in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_life artificial life] research. In the 50s he thought about to write a chess program to test evolutionary theories, and implemented a program in collaboration with [[Alex Bell]], who wrote a fast legal move generator, in the early 60s. In 1974, while he researched at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Oslo University of Oslo], he participated at the [[WCCC 1974|First World Computer Chess Championship]] in Stockholm with his own chess program [[Freedom]] <ref>[https://www.game-ai-forum.org/icga-tournaments/person.php?id=493 Nils Barricelli's ICGA Tournaments]</ref>.
=Quotes=
[[Alex Bell]], in 1962 at [[University of Manchester|Manchester University]], writes on his early collaboration with Barricelli <ref>[[Alex Bell]] ('''1978'''). ''[http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/acl/applications/cocoa/p008.htm MASTER at IFIPS]''. Excerpt from: The Machine Plays Chess? from [[Atlas Computer Laboratory]], hosted by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_Appleton_Laboratory Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)]</ref>:
In 1954 Professor Nils Barricelli was visiting [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University Princeton University]. The University was then a leader in the new field of computing mainly due to the presence of [[John von Neumann|von Neumann]] and his development of the (amongst others) [[MANIAC I|MANIAC]] machines.
In a discussion with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Fine Reuben Fine], the well-known Grandmaster and psychologist, Barricelli said that he intended to program a machine in order to beat Fine in chess. Professor Fine replied that he was sure the machine would play a poor game. Whereupon we asked von Neumann of his opinion. He agreed with Professor Fine on the grounds that the machine was not even capable of translating from a foreign language into a decent English. I think that was a poor argument, but that was anyhow his opinion.
In 1962 Barricelli arrived at [[University of Manchester|Manchester University]] in order to use the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Computer_%28Manchester%29 Atlas computer], a machine with many new features and probably, at the time, the most powerful computer in the world. His intention was to write a chess program which would be used to study certain theories of evolution. I was at Manchester at the time having just finished a year of computer research. Having also just got married I had turned my attention to the mundane problems of earning a living and was told that a Dr. Barry Chelly was looking for someone to write a chess program for Atlas. My first job ever was to help write a list legal moves generator for any chess position on a machine which was barely operational.
[[Dennis Cooper|Cooper]] and [[Ed Kozdrowicki|Kozdrowicki]] have remarked that chess will persist, for the problem is so exciting that once a programmer gets involved there is virtually no way he can be stopped. Personally I do not agree but I do remember that working with Barricelli was an interesting experience which definitely sold me on a career in computing although Manchester was an exciting place for computer users in almost any subject at the time.
The legal-move generator had to be as fast as possible because it would be used by symbio-organisms - numerical patterns in the machine which could reproduce and mutate - to test evolutionary theories. In order to survive and grow these organisms had to learn how to play chess; this was their test in their battle for survival.
<span id="Symbioorganisms"></span>
=Barricellian Symbioorganisms=
[[Alex Bell]] explains Barricelli's Symbioorganisms <ref>[http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/acl/literature/books/gamesplaying/p004.htm#index78 Barricellian symbioorganisms] in [[Alex Bell]] ('''1972'''). ''[http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/acl/literature/books/gamesplaying/overview.htm Games Playing with Computers]''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_%26_Unwin Allen & Unwin], ISBN-13: 978-0080212227, hosted by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_Appleton_Laboratory Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)]</ref>:
Barricelli devised the following extremely simple rules for sexual (symbiogenetic) reproduction. There are two integer [[Array|arrays]], this generation and next generation. The array this generation initially contains a random pattern of positive and negative integers. The following algorithm (expressed in Algol) is now executed:
<pre>
integer array this generation, next generation [1 :512];
begin
loop: for i : = 1 step 1 until 512 do
begin
n := j := this generation[i];
reproduce: if j = 0 then goto next i;
k := modulo 512 of (i) plus: (j);
if next generation[k] > 0 then
goto mutation else
next generation[k] := n;
j := this generation[k];
goto reproduce;
mutation:
next i: end;
copy next generation into this generation;
print this generation;
goto loop;
end;
</pre>
=See also=
* [[Freedom]]
* [[Genetic Programming]]
* [[WCCC 1974]]
=Selected Publications=
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1954'''). ''Esempi numerici di processi di evoluzione'', Methodos, pp. 45-68, 1954
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1957'''). ''Symbiogenetic evolution processes realized by artificial methods''. Methodos: 143–182.
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1961'''). ''[http://www.springerlink.com/content/y502315688024453/ Numerical testing of evolution theories. Part I Theoretical introduction and basic tests]''. Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University Vanderbilt University], Nashville, Tennessee, [http://www.springer.com/philosophy/philosophy+of+sciences/journal/10441 Acta Biotheoretica], Springer Netherlands, ISSN: 0001-5342
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1963'''). ''[http://www.springerlink.com/content/h85817217u25w6q7/ Numerical testing of evolution theories. Part II preliminary tests of performance. symbiogenesis and terrestrial life]''. Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University Vanderbilt University], Nashville, Tennessee, [http://www.springer.com/philosophy/philosophy+of+sciences/journal/10441 Acta Biotheoretica], Springer Netherlands, ISSN: 0001-5342
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson] ('''1997, 2012'''). ''Darwin Among The Machines: The Evolution Of Global Intelligence''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Books Basic Books], Second Edition 2012, [http://www.amazon.com/Darwin-Among-The-Machines-Intelligence/dp/0465031625 from amazon] <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_among_the_Machines Darwin among the Machines - Wikipedia]</ref>
* [[David B. Fogel]] ('''2006'''). ''[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fiel5%2F10207%2F33585%2F01597062.pdf%3Farnumber%3D1597062&authDecision=-203 Nils Barricelli - artificial life, coevolution, self-adaptation ]''. [[IEEE#CIM|IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine]], Vol. 1, No. 1
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_R._Galloway Alexander R. Galloway] ('''2008'''). ''Creative Evolution''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_%28magazine%29 Cabinet], No. 42 Forgetting, [http://cultureandcommunication.org/galloway/pdf/Galloway-Creative_Evolution-Cabinet_Magazine.pdf pdf]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_R._Galloway Alexander R. Galloway] ('''2012'''). ''[http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/GREY_a_00059#.VNn-8i6H-49 The Computational Image of Organization: Nils Aall Barricelli]''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Room Grey Room], No. 46 <ref>[http://cultureandcommunication.org/galloway/Barricelli/ Barricelli: Built with Processing] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_R._Galloway Alexander R. Galloway]</ref>
=External Links=
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Aall_Barricelli Nils Aall Barricelli from Wikipedia]
* [https://www.game-ai-forum.org/icga-tournaments/person.php?id=493 Nils Barricelli's ICGA Tournaments]
* [http://luzesangue.tumblr.com/ Luz e Sangue - Nils Aall Barricelli (1912–1993) with Image]
* [http://www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge21.html Darwin Among The Machines; or, the Origins of [Artificial] Life]. a presentation by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_Foundation,_Inc. Edge 21], July 8, 1997
* [http://edge.org/conversation/a-universe-of-self-replicating-code A Universe of Self-Replicating Code] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_Foundation,_Inc. Edge.org], March 26, 2012
* [http://www.dataisnature.com/?p=1448 Nils Barricelli’s 5 Kilobyte Symbiogenesis simulations and ‘molecule shaped numbers’ – A precursor to DNA Computing], [http://www.dataisnature.com/ Dataisnature], June 06, 2012
* [http://nautil.us/issue/14/mutation/meet-the-father-of-digital-life Meet the Father of Digital Life] by [http://fortune.com/author/robert-hackett/ Robert Hackett], [http://nautil.us/ Nautilus], June 12, 2014
* <span id="Video"></span>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson] - The Birth of the Computer, <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_%28book%29 Leviathan] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hobbes Thomas Hobbes]</ref> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube YouTube] Video
: {{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF692dBzWAs|alignment=left|valignment=top}}
=References=
<references />
'''[[People|Up one level]]'''
[[FILE:barricelli.jpg|border|right|thumb|180px|link=http://makezine.com/08/dyson/| Nils Aall Barricelli <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson] ''Early experiments in digital evolution''. From the column [http://makezine.com/dyson/ Retrospect] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson]</ref> ]]
'''Nils Aall Barricelli''', (January 24, 1912 – January 27, 1993)<br/>
was a Norwegian-Italian [[Psychology|psychologist]] and mathematician. He did early computer-assisted experiments in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis symbiogenesis] and [[Genetic Programming#EvolutionaryAlgorithms|evolutionary algorithms]], considered pioneering in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_life artificial life] research. In the 50s he thought about to write a chess program to test evolutionary theories, and implemented a program in collaboration with [[Alex Bell]], who wrote a fast legal move generator, in the early 60s. In 1974, while he researched at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Oslo University of Oslo], he participated at the [[WCCC 1974|First World Computer Chess Championship]] in Stockholm with his own chess program [[Freedom]] <ref>[https://www.game-ai-forum.org/icga-tournaments/person.php?id=493 Nils Barricelli's ICGA Tournaments]</ref>.
=Quotes=
[[Alex Bell]], in 1962 at [[University of Manchester|Manchester University]], writes on his early collaboration with Barricelli <ref>[[Alex Bell]] ('''1978'''). ''[http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/acl/applications/cocoa/p008.htm MASTER at IFIPS]''. Excerpt from: The Machine Plays Chess? from [[Atlas Computer Laboratory]], hosted by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_Appleton_Laboratory Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)]</ref>:
In 1954 Professor Nils Barricelli was visiting [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University Princeton University]. The University was then a leader in the new field of computing mainly due to the presence of [[John von Neumann|von Neumann]] and his development of the (amongst others) [[MANIAC I|MANIAC]] machines.
In a discussion with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Fine Reuben Fine], the well-known Grandmaster and psychologist, Barricelli said that he intended to program a machine in order to beat Fine in chess. Professor Fine replied that he was sure the machine would play a poor game. Whereupon we asked von Neumann of his opinion. He agreed with Professor Fine on the grounds that the machine was not even capable of translating from a foreign language into a decent English. I think that was a poor argument, but that was anyhow his opinion.
In 1962 Barricelli arrived at [[University of Manchester|Manchester University]] in order to use the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Computer_%28Manchester%29 Atlas computer], a machine with many new features and probably, at the time, the most powerful computer in the world. His intention was to write a chess program which would be used to study certain theories of evolution. I was at Manchester at the time having just finished a year of computer research. Having also just got married I had turned my attention to the mundane problems of earning a living and was told that a Dr. Barry Chelly was looking for someone to write a chess program for Atlas. My first job ever was to help write a list legal moves generator for any chess position on a machine which was barely operational.
[[Dennis Cooper|Cooper]] and [[Ed Kozdrowicki|Kozdrowicki]] have remarked that chess will persist, for the problem is so exciting that once a programmer gets involved there is virtually no way he can be stopped. Personally I do not agree but I do remember that working with Barricelli was an interesting experience which definitely sold me on a career in computing although Manchester was an exciting place for computer users in almost any subject at the time.
The legal-move generator had to be as fast as possible because it would be used by symbio-organisms - numerical patterns in the machine which could reproduce and mutate - to test evolutionary theories. In order to survive and grow these organisms had to learn how to play chess; this was their test in their battle for survival.
<span id="Symbioorganisms"></span>
=Barricellian Symbioorganisms=
[[Alex Bell]] explains Barricelli's Symbioorganisms <ref>[http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/acl/literature/books/gamesplaying/p004.htm#index78 Barricellian symbioorganisms] in [[Alex Bell]] ('''1972'''). ''[http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/acl/literature/books/gamesplaying/overview.htm Games Playing with Computers]''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_%26_Unwin Allen & Unwin], ISBN-13: 978-0080212227, hosted by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_Appleton_Laboratory Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)]</ref>:
Barricelli devised the following extremely simple rules for sexual (symbiogenetic) reproduction. There are two integer [[Array|arrays]], this generation and next generation. The array this generation initially contains a random pattern of positive and negative integers. The following algorithm (expressed in Algol) is now executed:
<pre>
integer array this generation, next generation [1 :512];
begin
loop: for i : = 1 step 1 until 512 do
begin
n := j := this generation[i];
reproduce: if j = 0 then goto next i;
k := modulo 512 of (i) plus: (j);
if next generation[k] > 0 then
goto mutation else
next generation[k] := n;
j := this generation[k];
goto reproduce;
mutation:
next i: end;
copy next generation into this generation;
print this generation;
goto loop;
end;
</pre>
=See also=
* [[Freedom]]
* [[Genetic Programming]]
* [[WCCC 1974]]
=Selected Publications=
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1954'''). ''Esempi numerici di processi di evoluzione'', Methodos, pp. 45-68, 1954
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1957'''). ''Symbiogenetic evolution processes realized by artificial methods''. Methodos: 143–182.
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1961'''). ''[http://www.springerlink.com/content/y502315688024453/ Numerical testing of evolution theories. Part I Theoretical introduction and basic tests]''. Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University Vanderbilt University], Nashville, Tennessee, [http://www.springer.com/philosophy/philosophy+of+sciences/journal/10441 Acta Biotheoretica], Springer Netherlands, ISSN: 0001-5342
* [[Nils Barricelli]] ('''1963'''). ''[http://www.springerlink.com/content/h85817217u25w6q7/ Numerical testing of evolution theories. Part II preliminary tests of performance. symbiogenesis and terrestrial life]''. Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University Vanderbilt University], Nashville, Tennessee, [http://www.springer.com/philosophy/philosophy+of+sciences/journal/10441 Acta Biotheoretica], Springer Netherlands, ISSN: 0001-5342
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson] ('''1997, 2012'''). ''Darwin Among The Machines: The Evolution Of Global Intelligence''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Books Basic Books], Second Edition 2012, [http://www.amazon.com/Darwin-Among-The-Machines-Intelligence/dp/0465031625 from amazon] <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_among_the_Machines Darwin among the Machines - Wikipedia]</ref>
* [[David B. Fogel]] ('''2006'''). ''[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fiel5%2F10207%2F33585%2F01597062.pdf%3Farnumber%3D1597062&authDecision=-203 Nils Barricelli - artificial life, coevolution, self-adaptation ]''. [[IEEE#CIM|IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine]], Vol. 1, No. 1
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_R._Galloway Alexander R. Galloway] ('''2008'''). ''Creative Evolution''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_%28magazine%29 Cabinet], No. 42 Forgetting, [http://cultureandcommunication.org/galloway/pdf/Galloway-Creative_Evolution-Cabinet_Magazine.pdf pdf]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_R._Galloway Alexander R. Galloway] ('''2012'''). ''[http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/GREY_a_00059#.VNn-8i6H-49 The Computational Image of Organization: Nils Aall Barricelli]''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Room Grey Room], No. 46 <ref>[http://cultureandcommunication.org/galloway/Barricelli/ Barricelli: Built with Processing] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_R._Galloway Alexander R. Galloway]</ref>
=External Links=
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Aall_Barricelli Nils Aall Barricelli from Wikipedia]
* [https://www.game-ai-forum.org/icga-tournaments/person.php?id=493 Nils Barricelli's ICGA Tournaments]
* [http://luzesangue.tumblr.com/ Luz e Sangue - Nils Aall Barricelli (1912–1993) with Image]
* [http://www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge21.html Darwin Among The Machines; or, the Origins of [Artificial] Life]. a presentation by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_Foundation,_Inc. Edge 21], July 8, 1997
* [http://edge.org/conversation/a-universe-of-self-replicating-code A Universe of Self-Replicating Code] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_Foundation,_Inc. Edge.org], March 26, 2012
* [http://www.dataisnature.com/?p=1448 Nils Barricelli’s 5 Kilobyte Symbiogenesis simulations and ‘molecule shaped numbers’ – A precursor to DNA Computing], [http://www.dataisnature.com/ Dataisnature], June 06, 2012
* [http://nautil.us/issue/14/mutation/meet-the-father-of-digital-life Meet the Father of Digital Life] by [http://fortune.com/author/robert-hackett/ Robert Hackett], [http://nautil.us/ Nautilus], June 12, 2014
* <span id="Video"></span>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dyson_%28science_historian%29 George Dyson] - The Birth of the Computer, <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_%28book%29 Leviathan] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hobbes Thomas Hobbes]</ref> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube YouTube] Video
: {{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF692dBzWAs|alignment=left|valignment=top}}
=References=
<references />
'''[[People|Up one level]]'''
