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Towards a Theory of Cooperative Problem Solving

Towards a Theory of Cooperative Problem Solving
Towards a Theory of Cooperative Problem Solving
One objective of distributed artificial intelligence research is to build systems that are capable of cooperative problem solving. To this end, a number of implementation-oriented models of cooperative problem solving have been developed. However, mathematical models of social activity have focussed only on limited aspects of the cooperative problem solving process: no mathematical model of the entire process has yet been described. In this paper, we rectify this omission. We present a preliminary model that describes the cooperative problem solving process from recognition of the potential for cooperation through to team action. The model is formalised by representing it as a theory in a quantified multimodal logic. A key feature of the model is its reliance on the twin notions of commitments and conventions; conventions (protocols for monitoring commitments) are formalised for the first time in this paper. We comment on the generality of the model, outline its deficiencies, and suggest some possible refinements and other future areas of research.
15-26
Wooldridge, M. J.
68e00b8d-2a43-4b5c-b0b9-329304892d9e
Jennings, N. R.
ab3d94cc-247c-4545-9d1e-65873d6cdb30
Wooldridge, M. J.
68e00b8d-2a43-4b5c-b0b9-329304892d9e
Jennings, N. R.
ab3d94cc-247c-4545-9d1e-65873d6cdb30

Wooldridge, M. J. and Jennings, N. R. (1994) Towards a Theory of Cooperative Problem Solving. 6th European Workshop on Modelling Autonomous Agents in a Multi-Agent World (MAAMAW-94), Odense, Denmark. pp. 15-26 .

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

One objective of distributed artificial intelligence research is to build systems that are capable of cooperative problem solving. To this end, a number of implementation-oriented models of cooperative problem solving have been developed. However, mathematical models of social activity have focussed only on limited aspects of the cooperative problem solving process: no mathematical model of the entire process has yet been described. In this paper, we rectify this omission. We present a preliminary model that describes the cooperative problem solving process from recognition of the potential for cooperation through to team action. The model is formalised by representing it as a theory in a quantified multimodal logic. A key feature of the model is its reliance on the twin notions of commitments and conventions; conventions (protocols for monitoring commitments) are formalised for the first time in this paper. We comment on the generality of the model, outline its deficiencies, and suggest some possible refinements and other future areas of research.

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Published date: 1994
Venue - Dates: 6th European Workshop on Modelling Autonomous Agents in a Multi-Agent World (MAAMAW-94), Odense, Denmark, 1994-01-01
Organisations: Agents, Interactions & Complexity

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 252141
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/252141
PURE UUID: 7d6e2aff-f68b-4aa8-a72d-29f12610420c

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Date deposited: 05 Dec 2002
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 05:17

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Contributors

Author: M. J. Wooldridge
Author: N. R. Jennings

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