InFallibleFiend:
I am somewhat confused - are you a proponent of natural selection, or intelligent design?
Evolutionary thinkers assume a random process to natural selection, and intelligent design asserts evolution is pre-determined. The article you posted (nice article, btw) appears to assert pre-determination - which you appear to reinforce in referencing "selection pressure" as a guiding influence in evolutionary matters.
The article reinforces predetermination in that natural selection follows a process - lets, for the sake of it, name it "Random." A process nevertheless determineded by an algorithymn. Under this rationale, the genetic algorithymn at the heart of the posted article becomes an idealised notion of evolution. Much like Game Theory is an idealised notion of human behaviour. Nevertheless, there is a question to be asked - as to who or what scribed the algorithymn that established natural selection on Earth?