Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2
Agent Versus Decomposition
of an Algorithm
Abstract
This chapter looks at the notions of the partial function and the Cartesian
product. The presentation of the problem opens with a formal approach to the defin-
ition of the agent's properties. This part explores the reasons for the introduction of
the concept of the agent and give an interpretation of such definitions as the
autonomy
of the agent or its
capability to observe the environment
.
2.1 The Genesis of an Agent
In this chapter we will try to illustrate the concept of an
autonomous agent
and espe-
cially the reasons why it was necessary to establish this notion. Briefly speaking, why
the concept of the autonomous agent was invented and what should be understood by
autonomous
. Although the concept of the autonomous agent has existed in computer
science for some time, it has not been clearly and precisely defined [154, 161, 174].
Particularly, there is no formal or at least more precise definition of the term
agent
and its basic characteristic features that could differentiate the agent from the object.
The lack of this definition renders it difficult and often makes it impossible to carry
out research on agent systems, not only in the area of formal research but also in
practical applications.
There have been some attempts to solve these problems [81, 82, 98, 184], which
concentrated on making reference to numerous examples illustrating notions intro-
duced through analogy, or with reference to the analysis of the meanings of the
notions, e.g., the term “autonomous”, used in the philosophical basis for the theory
of evolution [122, 123]. Such an approach may intuitively have brought these notions
closer, but it did not contribute to a more precise definition. Finally, the effort did not
lead to satisfying results.
It may be accepted that considerations we present in this monograph, which are
an attempt to analyse and find solutions to those problems, are the development of
the previous suggestions or are inspired by them.
Below, we will present an attempt to define the agent based on an algorithmmodel,
well-known from the literature [149, 180].
This approach is based on the concept of autonomy of the agent, which is
considered in comparison with the concept of the object. Particularly, problems
