computation complexity evolution
Definition
Turing Gas
Turing Gas is a theoretical model of computation where a large number of independent, simple programs or “tapes” (such as those in Turing machines) interact randomly within a “soup.” It is a computational analogue to the ideal gas in thermodynamics, characterised by high entropy and a lack of organised structure.
Phase Transition to Life
In artificial life simulations such as bff, a Turing gas represents the initial, disordered state of the system. While the individual bytes may contain valid instructions, the overall interaction is arbitrary and purposeless.
The significance of the Turing gas model lies in the “phase transition” that occurs when functional replicators emerge. As programs begin to copy themselves, the amount of computation skyrockets, and the disordered “gas” condenses into structured, computing-intensive computronium.
Observation
The emergence of life can be viewed as the condensation of a Turing gas. In this process, random interactions give way to purposive, dynamically stable code that perpetuates its own pattern through symbiotic fusions.
Relationship to Abiogenesis
The concept of a Turing gas provides a framework for understanding abiogenesis as a statistical inevitability. If an environment is capable of supporting computation, random interactions between simple components will eventually lead to the formation of autocatalytic sets and, ultimately, true replication.