A nice discussion is going on in the NEAT User Group about the mechanism that lead to modular (artificial) neural networks, motivated by the recently published paper The evolutionary origin of modularity. The discussion around the questions, what modularity in a neural network actually is, how to measure it and how to setup evolutionary mechanisms to promote modularity in neural networks highlights the different views on that field that people with different backgrounds have.

I recently got the book Principles of Brain Evolution and can recommend it to everyone interested in evolutionary mechanisms that lead to the complexification of natural neural networks. The author writes in a subjective style that makes explicit why which topics are discussed in the book and which are just touched. Furthermore, he explains the categories in which brain evolution is studied and outlines the general limitations and problems with these categories. In this regard, the book provides a good and comprehensive introduction into the current notion of brain evolution from a cautious, distant perspective.

What a fantastic documentary. Truly inspiring vehicles created by the filmmakers.