# Substrate-Independent Evolution > **Machine-Evolution Nexus:** [[articles/Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution|Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution]] places this concept within the history and governance of substrate-independent evolution. **Domain:** Evolution / Substrate **Doc Type:** Canonical Wiki Node **Maturity:** Developed ## Definition Substrate-independent evolution is the claim that Darwinian dynamics depend on functional relations—inheritance, variation, differential success and constraint—rather than on carbon chemistry specifically. ## Machine-Evolution Context Barricelli, Evoloops, Tierra and Avida supply constructive digital cases. The claim is about causal organization, not about every substrate being equally capable of open-ended novelty. ## Continuity and Evidence Boundary Demonstrating evolution on a substrate does not demonstrate consciousness or personal continuity on that substrate. Those are separate propositions with separate evidence. ## Relationships [[wiki/Darwinian Evolution|Darwinian Evolution]], [[wiki/Substrate|Substrate]], [[wiki/Substrate Transition|Substrate Transition]], [[wiki/Consciousness|Consciousness]] ## Sources / Provenance - Sayama and Nehaniv (2025); Lenski et al., _Nature_ 423 (2003).