The genesis of genetic programming

Abstract

This article takes a participant-observer's look back at the genealogy of the computational method now known as Genetic Programming (GP for short). In so doing, it treats GP as a case study for elucidating the process of technical innovation. Working on the assumption that the contrast between sudden Eureka and stepwise improvement is a polarity rather than a sharp dichotomy, it introduces a simple technique for identifying the main steps in the march of GP from margin to mainstream. It is argued that this approach could be applied more widely to other areas of scientific or technological advance - possibly even offering the prospect of resolution to some of the more belligerent academic- priority disputes.