EVALUATOR
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1184 ▶ |
| Object type | Human sciences, Methodology or model |
A device within an adaptive system that “calculates an estimate of the ”distance“ of any given situation from the goal ”( J. HOLLAND, 1992, p.48)
The evaluator needs to receive information from detectors about the results of the most recent actions .
HOLLAND observes: “There is however a caveat. If the set of detectors is inadequate, for whatever reason, the improvement of the evaluator will be blocked. This raises the broad issue of pattern recognition , for the set of detectors is, of course, meant to enable the (genetic adaptive) plan to recognize critical features for goal -attainment” (Ibid).
HOLLAND also offers adequacy criteria for detectors: “The estimates are supposed to take the costs of the transformations , etc., into account; that is, the ”distances“ are usually weighted path lengths, where the paths involved are (conjectured) sequences of transformations leading from given situations to the goal. The intent is to use these estimates to determine which transformations should be carried out next. An evaluation is made of each of the situations which could be produced from the current one by the application of allowed (simple sequences of) transformations, and then that (sequence of) transformation(s) is executed, which leads to the new situation estimated to be ”nearest“ the goal.” (Ibid)
Evaluators are an essential part of any adaptive system , from biology to business and artificial life devices.