Robustness
Robustness is the ability of a system to maintain functions in the face of perturbations utilising feedback, modularity, degeneracy, etc.1
The 'robustness' of a phenotypic trait is the absence or low level of variation when faced with a given incoming variation.2
Relationship to intelligence (robustness and intelligence co-evolve):
- Intelligence often emerges from robustness. Systems that can tolerate errors and variability are better able to explore and learn. Components can become damaged, disconnect, die, but the system persists.
- Robustness requires intelligent strategies. To remain functional under change, systems need adaptive mechanisms (feedback loops, redundancy, modularity). Intelligent behaviour often involves the anticipation and mitigation of risks.
Relationship to niche construction. One way to increase robustness is through environmental control. By constructing niches, organisms reduce environmental uncertainty. Intelligent agents build niches to increase robustness. Stable niches allow exploration and learning, fostering higher intelligence. Environmental engineering reduces stress and risk, enabling complex behaviours.
Wagner suggests that so‑called “excess/junk” genetic networks enable innovation by maintaining stability under change.3
Redundancy. Usefulness of "degenerate" patterns.
Pathway redundancy is common across all life and evolved to protect against perturbations that could disrupt vital processes, such as mutations and environmental changes.
Viability theory. Rather than maximising a scalar objective, living systems remain within acceptable states across time and perturbation. Intelligence is self‑evidencing and the maintenance of an agent's existence within its ecological niche.4
References
Hunter, Philip. “Understanding Redundancy and Resilience: Redundancy in Life Is Provided by Distributing Functions across Networks Rather than Back‐up Systems.” EMBO Reports 23, no. 3 (2022): e54742. https://doi.org/10/hbbv5g.
Mumby, Peter J., Iliana Chollett, Yves-Marie Bozec, and Nicholas H. Wolff. “Ecological Resilience, Robustness and Vulnerability: How Do These Concepts Benefit Ecosystem Management?” Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Environmental change issues, vol. 7 (2014): 22–27. https://doi.org/10/f5v7s6.
Whitacre, James Michael. “Biological Robustness: Paradigms, Mechanisms, and Systems Principles.” Frontiers in Genetics 3 (2012): 00067. https://doi.org/10/hbbv4k.
Footnotes
Kitano, Hiroaki. “Biological Robustness.” Nature Reviews Genetics 5, no. 11 (2004): 826–37. https://doi.org/10/ft4bnv.˄
Félix, Marie-Anne, and Michalis Barkoulas. “Pervasive Robustness in Biological Systems.” Nature Reviews Genetics 16, no. 8 (2015): 483–96. https://doi.org/10/f7jvwk.˄
Wagner, Andreas. Life Finds a Way: What Evolution Teaches Us about Creativity. London: Oneworld Publications, 2019. Wagner, Andreas. The Origins of Evolutionary Innovations: A Theory of Transformative Change in Living Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.˄
Friston, Karl J., Maxwell J. D. Ramstead, Alex B. Kiefer, Alexander Tschantz, Christopher L. Buckley, Mahault Albarracin, Riddhi J. Pitliya, et al. “Designing Ecosystems of Intelligence from First Principles.” Collective Intelligence 3, no. 1 (2024): 26339137231222481. https://doi.org/10/hbbnnz.˄
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