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Theories of Agency

All of the formalisms considered so far have focussed on just one aspect of agency. However, it is to be expected that a realistic agent theory will be represented in a logical framework that combines these various components. Additionally, we expect an agent logic to be capable of representing the dynamic aspects of agency. A complete agent theory, expressed in a logic with these properties, must define how the attributes of agency are related. For example, it will need to show how an agent's information and pro-attitudes are related; how an agent's cognitive state changes over time; how the environment affects an agent's cognitive state; and how an agent's information and pro-attitudes lead it to perform actions. Giving a good account of these relationships is the most significant problem faced by agent theorists.

An all-embracing agent theory is some time off, and yet significant steps have been taken towards it. In the following subsections, we briefly review some of this work.



mikew@mutley.doc.aca.mmu.ac.uk
Fri Nov 4 16:03:55 GMT 1994