Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2003, Volume 2724/2003, 210, DOI: 10.1007/3-540-45110-2_15

Two Broad Classes of Functions for Which a No Free Lunch Result Does Not Hold

Matthew J. Streeter

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Abstract

We identify classes of functions for which a No Free Lunch result does and does not hold, with particular emphasis on the relationship between No Free Lunch and problem description length. We show that a NFL result does not apply to a set of functions when the description length of the functions is sufficiently bounded. We consider sets of functions with non-uniform associated probability distributions, and show that a NFL result does not hold if the probabilities are assigned according either to description length or to a Solomonoff- Levin distribution. We close with a discussion of the conditions under which NFL can apply to sets containing an infinite number of functions.

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