Adaptation, Punctuation, and Rate Distortion: Non-cognitivèlearning Plateaus' in Evolutionary Process

Extending recent information-theoretic phase transition approaches to evolutionary and cognitive process via the Rate Distortion Theorem in the circumstance of interaction with a structured environment suggests that learning plateaus in cognitive systems and punctuated equilibria in evolutionary process are formally analogous, even though evolution is most certainly not cognitive. The result is curiously direct , and implies that evolutionary theories which do not produce punctuation are likely to be seriously incomplete. for identiication only. This material has been submitted for publication and is protected by copyright.