24.3-4, An Introduction to Multiagent Systems

Notes taken from 'An Introduction to Multiagent Systems' (2002), by Michael Wooldridge

3, Deductive Reasoning Agents

(Agents as Theorem Provers, Agent-Oriented Programming, Concurrent MetateM)

4, Practical Reasoning Agents

Practical Reasoning Equals Deliberation Plus Means-End Reasoning: Practical reasoning is reasoning directed towards actions - the process of figuring out what to do.

"Practical reasoning is a matter of weighing conflicting considerations for and against competing options, where the relevant considerations are provided by what the agent desires/values/cares about and what the agent believes." (Bratman, 1990)

Human practical reasoning appears to consist of at least two distinct activities. The first of these involves deciding what state of affairs we want to achieve (deliberation); the second process involves deciding how we want to achieve these states of affairs (means-end reasoning).

We refer to the states of affairs that an agent has chosen and committed to as its intentions.

Intentions play the following important roles in practical reasoning:

- Intentions drive means-end reasoning...
- Intentions persist...
- Intentions constrain future deliberation...
- Intentions influence beliefs upon which future practical reasoning is based...

Means-Ends Reasoning: A planner is a system that takes as input representations of the following:

(1) A goal, intention or a task. This is something that the agent wants to achieve, or a state of affairs that the agent wants to maintain or avoid.
(2) The current state of the environment - the agent's beliefs.
(3) The actions available to the agent.

(Implementing a Practical Reasoning Agent, HOMER: an Agent That Plans)