Relating Knowledge and Coordinated Action: The Knowledge of Preconditions Principle

The Knowledge of Preconditions principle (KoP) is proposed as a widely applicable connection between knowledge and action in multi-agent systems. Roughly speaking, it asserts that if some condition is a necessary condition for performing a given action A, then knowing that this condition holds is also a necessary condition for performing A. Since the specifications of tasks often involve necessary conditions for actions, the KoP principle shows that such specifications induce knowledge preconditions for the actions. Distributed protocols or multi-agent plans that satisfy the specifications must ensure that this knowledge be attained, and that it is detected by the agents as a condition for action. The knowledge of preconditions principle is formalised in the runs and systems framework, and is proven to hold in a wide class of settings. Well-known connections between knowledge and coordinated action are extended and shown to derive directly from the KoP principle: a "common knowledge of preconditions" principle is established showing that common knowledge is a necessary condition for performing simultaneous actions, and a "nested knowledge of preconditions" principle is proven, showing that coordinating actions to be performed in linear temporal order requires a corresponding form of nested knowledge.Comment: In Proceedings TARK 2015, arXiv:1606.0729

Designing Costumes for \u3cem\u3eVolpone\u3c/em\u3e by Ben Jonson

This poster presentation showcases my unrealized designs for Volpone by Ben Jonson, completed for the Linfield College Theatre Program’s Costume Design course taught by Laurel Peterson during the 2016 fall semester. The play focuses on Volpone, an old miser who delights in tricking wealthy acquaintances by pretending to be an invalid and attaining more money in doing so. Along with Volpone (meaning fox in Italian), many of the other characters have names pertaining to specific animals such as Mosca (the fly), Voltore (the vulture), and Peregrine. These names point to unflattering personality traits and make it easier for the audience to understand Ben Jonson’s social commentary about European society in 1605. My design concept combined animalistic or classic characterizations of the characters’ personalities with a Victorian Venetian setting. In keeping with the dark undertones and somewhat Dickensian plot of the play, I chose to set it during a time strife with poverty, greedy merchants, constraining gender norms, and strict social morals unheeded by those who dared. In my costume designs, I adhered closely to the early Victorian period while also trying to convey the true nature of each character whether good or evil