A novel approach to evolutionary computing: A complexity study with systems thinking

This paper is a sequel to “A novel approach to evolutionary computing: an introduction” in which I describe how the modern software can be viewed as a complex adaptive system and how software evolution can be placed or mapped in parallel to the Darwinian Evolution Theory of biology. Calling it a novel approach to evolutionary computing because, instead of working toward genetic computational approaches to biology, it studies complex adaptive systems in software as if software is the same among biological populations that abide by evolutionary theories of biology. This paper explores the relationship between complexity study as a scientific endeavor and systems thinking as a problem solving skill while approaching to generic software solutions, known as Computational Intelligence, to any problem of our interests at hand. The paper argues that skills in systems thinking are critical and applying them may add values to software development activities, especially to large-scale complex software aiming for the high quality and rapid productivity. Examples will be provided to support arguments in the paper.