[evv555]

>The encoder being evolution is an idea that has been developed by Sui Huang and numerous others.

Parallels between evolutionary systems and hill-climbing algorithms have been floating around for a long time at this point.

[jhbadger]

Although normally in the other direction -- genetic algorithms and genetic programming directly mimic evolution by natural selection, for example.

[evv555]

It was just the less controversial direction. You would be accused of anthropomorphizing and teleological thinking if you suggested evolution is a search process towards some optimum. Good luck talking to an orthodox biologist about evolutionary processes with constructs like agents and intelligence.