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Contribution Details

Type Journal Article
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Let animats live!
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Matej Hoffmann
  • Rolf Pfeifer
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Journal Title Adaptive Behavior
Publisher Sage Publications
Geographical Reach international
ISSN 1059-7123
Volume 17
Number 4
Page Range 317 - 319
Date 2009
Abstract Text Barbara Webb raises a crucial methodological point: in order to learn something about biology, it is more effective to build models of existing animals, rather than building ad hoc artificial creatures (animats). The critical problem with animats is how to validate them, since a direct comparison with animals is not straightforward. In our commentary, we will raise three main points: 1. While we agree that validation of an animat is indispensable, we propose alternative validation criteria to direct comparison with an animal. 2. We will advocate the animats’ right to existence by listing advantages of the animat approach. 3. We speculate that methodological purity versus effectiveness of practical research can be sometimes seen as a trade-off.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1177/1059712309340852
Other Identification Number merlin-id:172
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