Reasoning About Action

This paper investigates the challenging problem of encoding the common sense knowledge involved in the manipulation of spatial objects from a reasoning about actions and change perspective. In particular, we propose a formal solution to a puzzle composed of non-trivial objects (such as holes and strings) assuming a version of the Situation Calculus written over first-order Equilibrium Logic, whose models

In this paper we study the qualification problem in theories of reasoning about actions and change and the link of this prob- lem to properties of representation for expressing such theo- ries. We examine the interaction of the qualification problem with the frame and ramification problems and show how an integrated solution to these problems can be developed where the

The aim of this paper, is to provide a logical framework for reasoning about actions, agency, and powers of agents and coalitions in game-like multi-agent systems. First we define our basic Dynamic Logic of Agency ( ${\mathcal{DLA}}$ ). Differently from other logics of individual and coalitional capability such as Alternating-time Temporal Logic (ATL) and Coalition Logic, in ${\mathcal{DLA}}$ cooperation modalities for expressing powers of agents and coalitions are not primitive, but are defined from more basic dynamic logic operators of action and (historic) necessity. We show that STIT logic can be reconstructed in ${\mathcal{DLA}}$ . We then extend ${\mathcal{DLA}}$ with epistemic operators, which allows us to distinguish capability and power. We finally characterize the conditions under which agents are aware of their capabilities and powers.

This paper describes a logic-based formalism which combines techniques for reasoning about actions with standard mathematical techniques for modelling dynamic systems using the differential calculus. The formalism inherits a robust solution to the ...

We present a uniform non-monotonic solution to the problems of reasoning about action on the basis of an argumentation-theoretic approach. Our theory is provably correct relative to a sensible minimisation policy introduced on top of a temporal propositional logic. Sophisticated problem domains can be formalised in our framework. As much attention of researchers in the field has been paid to the traditional and basic problems in reasoning about actions such as the frame, the qualification and the ramification problems, approaches to these problems within our formalisation lie at heart of the expositions presented in this paper.

This abstract describes recent work done within the NTL project at UC Berkeley and ICSI and is intended as a companion submission to the one entitled "Structured Connnectionist Modeling of Word Learning". Our presentation will detail some recent work on developing structured connectionist representations that support a range of linguistic and cognitive tasks. Our earlier work (Bailey 97, Narayanan 97) produced a unified representation of verbs and the actions and events they describe. Our model was partly inspired by results in high-level cortical motor control schemas (Steruberg et ai 78, Berustein 67), leading to refer to our verb model as x-schemas. X-schemas are parameterized routines with internal state that execute when invoked. Our computational model is based on extensions to the Petri net formalism. The most relevant features of Petri nets for our purposes are their ability to model events and states in a distributed system and cleanly capture sequentiality, concu...

We present a state-based regression function for planning domains where an agent does not have complete information and may have sensing actions. We consider binary domains and employ a three-valued characterization of domains with sensing actions to define the regression function. We prove the soundness and completeness of our regression formulation with respect to the definition of progression. More specifically, we show that (i) a plan obtained through regression for a planning problem is indeed a progression solution ...

Research with autonomous unmanned aircraft systems is reaching a new degree of sophistication where targeted missions require complex types of deliberative capability integrated in a practical manner in such systems. Due to these pragmatic constraints, integra- tion is just as important as theoretical and applied work in developing the actual deliberative functionalities. In this article, we present a temporal logic-based

As an alternative to planning, an approach to high-level agent control based on concurrent program execution is considered. A formal definition in the situation calculus of such a programming language is presented and illustrated with some examples. The language includes facilities for ...

John McCarthy's situation calculus has left an enduring mark on artificial intelligence research. This simple yet elegant formalism for modelling and reasoning about dynamic systems is still in common use more than forty years since it was first proposed. The ability to reason about action and change has long been considered a necessary component for any intelligent system. The situation

Abstract. Reasoning about action and change has been one of the main research themes of the knowledge representation and planning communities of the last 15 years. Action theories providing an axiomatic basis for managing change are applicable to a wide area of ...

We describe Modular-E (ME), a specialized, model-theoretic logic for narrative reasoning about actions, able to represent non-deterministic domains involving concurrency, static laws (constraints) and indirect effects (ramifications). We give formal ...

We outline an approach to the analysis of user interactions with a computer system based on a logic programming agent architecture which unifies planning and reactive behaviours. The agent model deploys definitions for the reduction of goals to subgoals, integrity constraints for condition-action rule behaviour, and uses Abductive Event Calculus to represent and reason about actions and change. This computational environment is particularly well matched to the requirements of engineering models of human performance deployed in human-computer interaction design. These models aim to produce a priori quantitative predictions of execution time, learning time and errors, at an earlier stage in the development than prototyping and user testing. The most mature of the engineering models is GOMS, which stands for: goals (what the user wants to accomplish), operators (permissible actions on an interface), methods (sequences of actions needed to accomplish a goal), and selection rules (to cho...

We present a state-based regression function for planning domains where an agent does not have complete information and may have sensing actions. We consider binary domains and employ a three-valued characterization of domains with sensing actions to define the regression function. We prove the soundness and completeness of our regression formulation with respect to the definition of progression. More specifically, we show that (i) a plan obtained through regression for a planning problem is indeed a progression solution ...

In this paper we present an approach to represent- ing and managing temporally-flexible behaviors in the Situation Calculus based on a model of time and concurrent situations. We define a new hybrid framework combining temporal constraint reason- ing and reasoning about actions. We show that the Constraint Based Interval Planning approach can be imported into the Situation Calculus by defin-

The accomplishment of systems with abilities to reason about actions and change and systems that can manage in- complete or not very reliable information with abilities to discuss or argument has been of great importance for artifi- cial intelligence community. These two ways of reasoning were attacked independently, but they are complementary, since a lot of applications need of both,