Reddit mentions of Permutation City

I was linked here from /r/shittyprogramming which seems rather unfair, but what you say makes no sense to someone who has never heard of this type of research before.

What you are talking about (in a half-assed way) is called genetic programming.. Koza's book is definitive and mind-blowing. Genetic Programming is sometimes related to Artificial Life.

I have dabbled in it, but a good book to read on the matter is a new kind of science, by wolfram. He makes some arrogant claims and makes out he invented the field, but he does have some rather good theories. I agree with him that some sort of cellular automation with a genetic component is the best way to start off the process.

A fascinating anecdote from the book is how the rate of chaotic change to create a stable cellular automata system was stumbled on in Conway's Game of Life. A slight adjustment to the rules one way led to an almost static system. The other way led to the board being filled up. There is a level of "just right" that leads to what some people think of "life" in the game of life.

You are correct that you do not need a scaled version of the current universe to eventually achieve AI, as a simplified model with evolution will do. It's a massive book with some rather complicated ideas, but if you are truly interested it is worth pursuing.

If you are just superficially interested in the field, a great sci fi novel set about these ideas is called Permutation City. Another book, Artificial Life by Steven Levy is a great history of alife so far.

Welcome to the field!

If you like Sci-Fi, try Greg Egan. Permutation City, for a novel or Axiomatic, for short stories.

Also, in the Sci-Fi genre, you could try Iain M Banks' books - look up the culture series. My favourite is Excession.

Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep has some very interesting views on alien cultures that might appeal to you. It is one of my favourite books.