Abstract
There is a large class of interesting problems for which no reasonably fast algorithms have been developed. Many of these problems are optimization problems that arise frequently in applications. Given such a hard optimization problem it is often possible to find an efficient algorithm whose solution is approximately optimal. For some hard optimization problems we can use probabilistic algorithms as well — these algorithms do not guarantee the optimum value, but by randomly choosing sufficiently many “witnesses” the probability of error may be made as small as we like.
Paradoxical as it seemed, the Master always insisted that the true reformer was one who was able to see that everything is perfect as it is — and able to leave it alone.
Anthony de Mello, One Minute Wisdom
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Michalewicz, Z. (1994). GAs: What Are They?. In: Genetic Algorithms + Data Structures = Evolution Programs. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-07418-3_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-07418-3_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-07420-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-07418-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive