THE USE OF VERSION SPACE CONTROLLED GENETIC ALGORITHMS TO SOLVE THE BOOLE PROBLEM

Abstract

The Version Space Controlled Genetic Algorithms (VGA) uses the structure of the version space to cache generalizations about the performance history of chromosomes in the genetic algorithm. This cached experience is used to constrain the generation of new members of the genetic algorithms population. The VGA is shown to be a specific instantiation of a more general framework, Autonomous Learning Elements (ALE). The capabilities of the VGA system are demonstrated using the Boole problem suggested by Wilson [Wilson 1987]. The performance of the VGA is compared to that of decision trees and genetic algorithms. The results suggest that the VGA is able to exploit a certain set of symbiotic relationships between its components, so that the resulting system performs better than either component individually.