What are Genetic Algorithms? A Mathematical Prespective

Abstract

This talk presents a “big picture” view of genetic search in a general, abstract setting. It limits consideration to simple generational versions of time invariant Markovian GAs (the next generation depends only upon the current population) with the aim of uncovering, in general terms, their inherent emergent behavior. Along the way, a few issues related to classical “GA theory” are touched upon so as to sketch the context out of which the material presented in the remainder of the talk grew, and to indicate a few of the problems it partially addresses.