Scalar Output for Fitness Function

Why does Genetic Algorithm only process a Scalar Output for the Fitness Function evaluation? Why not a Vector of say 1x10 or 1x20 or something like that?

Most literature as well as the gatool itself say that they need an Scalar Output for the Fitness Function but is there a reason as to why this is so?

Answer 1

[Alan Weiss]

Generically, the genetic algorithm is an optimization method. Optimization is where you try to find the minimum of a scalar-valued function. It is not clear what it might mean to find the minimum of a vector-valued function, though there is a case to be made that multiobjective optimization is useful. See the documentation on this subject.

Alan Weiss

MATLAB mathematical toolbox documentation