selfduplication

Selfduplication refers to a hypothetical process where a system or entity creates an exact copy of itself. This concept is most prominently explored in the context of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence, particularly in relation to self-replicating automata. A self-duplicating program, for instance, would be a piece of code that, when executed, generates its own complete and identical source code. This is distinct from simply copying a file, as it involves the program actively writing its own blueprint.

The theoretical underpinnings of selfduplication can be traced back to early work on computation and automata theory. John von Neumann's work on self-reproducing machines is a foundational concept, suggesting that a machine could be built to construct another machine identical to itself, provided it had a blueprint and a universal constructor. In the digital realm, self-duplication is closely related to the idea of quines, which are computer programs that produce their own source code as output.

While true selfduplication in a biological sense, where an entire organism creates an exact duplicate of itself without a division process, is not observed in nature, the principle of replication is fundamental to life. Cell division, for example, is a form of self-replication where a cell divides to create two identical daughter cells. The concept of selfduplication remains a thought-provoking area of research in artificial intelligence and the philosophy of computation, exploring the boundaries of autonomy and complexity.