Norm-regulated Transition System Situations

Many multi-agent systems (MAS) and other kinds of dynamic systems may be modeled as transition systems, in which actions are associated with transitions between different system states. This paper presents an approach to normative systems in this context, in which the permission or prohibition of actions is related to the permission or prohibition of different types of state transitions with respect to some condition d on a number of agents x1, ... , xn in a state. It introduces the notion of a norm-regulated transition system situation, which is intended to represent a single step in the run of a (norm-regulated) transition system. The normative framework uses an algebraic representation of conditional norms and is based on a systematic exploration of the possible types of state transitions with respect to d(x1, ... , xn). A general-level Java/Prolog framework for norm-regulated transition system situations is currently being developed

Instrumentalization of Norm-Regulated Transition System Situations

An approach to normative systems in the context of multiagent systems (MAS) modeled as transition systems, in which actions are associated with transitions between different system states, is presented. The approach is based on relating the permission or prohibition of actions to the permission or prohibition of different types of state transitions with respect to some condition d on a number of agents x(1), ... , x(nu) in a state. It introduces the notion of a norm-regulated transition system situation, which is intended to represent a single step in the run of a (norm-regulated) transition system. The normative framework uses an algebraic representation of conditional norms and is based on a systematic exploration of the possible types of state transitions with respect to d(x(1), ... , x(nu)). A general-level Java/Prolog framework for norm-regulated transition system situations has been developed, and this implementation together with a simple example system is presented and discussed

Normative positions within norm-regulated transition system situations

In recent years, the study of norm-regulated multiagent systems (MAS) has attracted a lot of attention. The Kanger-Lindahl theory of normative positions has great potential of serving as the logical foundation for normative systems for MAS, but its generality, which allows for great freedom when interpreting the theory, may also become a challenge for practical applications. As an important step towards a typology of interpretations of the theory, we study the application of normative positions in the context of a basic class of transition systems in which transitions are deterministic and associated with a single agent performing an act. By an interpretation of the types of normative positions in terms of permitting or prohibiting different types (with respect to some condition on a numberof agents) of state transitions in this context, lexicons for two different systems of types of normative positions are suggested and discussed. It is demonstrated that both interpretations are natural and useful, depending on how the notion of agency is understood and whether a ‘system norms’ or an ‘agent-specific norms’ perspective is taken