In nature, systems with enormous numbers of components (i.e. cells) are evolved from a relatively small genotype. It has not yet been demonstrated that artificial evolution is sufficient to make such a system evolvable. Consequently researchers have been investigating forms of computational development that may allow more evolvable systems. The approaches taken have largely used re-writing, multi-cellularity, or genetic regulation. In many cases it has been difficult to produce general purpose

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... omputation from such systems. In this paper we introduce computational development using a form of Cartesian Genetic Programming that includes self-modification operations. One advantage of this approach is that ab initio the system can be used to solve computational problems. We present results on a number of problems and demonstrate the characteristics and advantages that self-modification brings.