Introduction to Issues in Developing Adaptive Intelligence

A major context for a track on developing adaptive intelligence includes the foundational assumptions laid out by Albus (1999) in “The Engineering of Mind” which lays out a reference model architecture that serves as a principle vein of work on the design of intelligent systems. Jim Albus (1999) is based on functional, control and goal-oriented pragmatic principles using 2 assumptions. His first assumption is that the function of the mind/brain is to generate and control intelligent behavior. A second assumption is that intelligent behavior is understood as “appropriate action” in an uncertain environment where appropriate action is understood as action which increases the probability of success in achieving high priority goals. While Albus’ approach includes pragmatic concepts it grows out of control theory and what Haugeland calls GOFAI, Good Old Fashion AI” . To this meta model Albus adds a specific architecture for intelligent behavior as the result of goals and plans interacting at many hierarchical levels with knowledge represented in a multi-resolutional world model (discussed at greater length in Albus and Meystel, 2002). A general theoretical reference model for mind is axiomatically defined by Albus using 5 key concepts and their assumptions enables the approach. Briefly, these are function components, structural storage, interconnected computational modules in a control system architecture, hierarchical layering of components and attentional selection. These are depicted in Figure 1 and detailed as follows: