Assembly Theory (AT) is a theory that explains how to determine if a complex object is the product of evolution. Here we explain why attempts to compare AT to compression algorithms, ref 1, does not help identify if the object is the product of selection or not. Specifically, we show why aims to perform benchmark comparisons of different compression schemes to compare the performance of Molecular Assembly Indices against standard compression schemes in determining living vs. non-living samples fails to classify the data correctly. In their approach, Uthamacumaran et al., ref 1, compress data from Marshall et al.2 describing the experimental basis for assembly theory and evaluate the difference in the resulting distributions of data. After several computational experiments Uthamacumaran et al., ref 1, conclude that other compression techniques obtain better results in the problem of detecting life and non-life that of assembly pathways. Here we explain why the approach presented by Uthamacumaran et al.1 appears to be lacking, and why it is not to reproduce their analysis with the information given.

翻译：装配理论（AT）阐释了如何判定复杂物体是否为演化产物。在此我们说明为何将AT与压缩算法进行比较（参考文献1）无助于识别物体是否经过选择过程。具体而言，我们揭示了为何试图通过不同压缩方案的基准比较，来评估分子装配指数与标准压缩方案在区分生命与非生命样本时的性能，最终导致数据分类错误的研究方法。在其实验中，Uthamacumaran等人（参考文献1）对Marshall等人（参考文献2）描述装配理论实验基础的数据进行压缩，并评估所得数据分布的差异。经过多次计算实验后，Uthamacumaran等人（参考文献1）得出结论：在生命与非生命检测问题上，其他压缩技术比装配路径获得了更优结果。在此我们阐明，Uthamacumaran等人（参考文献1）所提出的方法存在根本性缺陷，并且根据现有信息无法复现他们的分析过程。