What Sort of Control System Is Able to Have a Personality?

This paper outlines a design-based methodology for the study of mind as a part of the broad discipline of Artificial Intelligence. Within that framework some architectural requirements for human-like minds are discussed, and some preliminary suggestions made regarding mechanisms underlying motivation, emotions, and personality. A brief description is given of the ‘Nursemaid’ or ‘Minder’ scenario being used at the University of Birmingham as a framework for research on these problems. It may be possible later to combine some of these ideas with work on synthetic agents inhabiting virtual reality environments.