Autonomous Agents, AI and Chaos Theory1

Agent theory in AI and related disciplines deals with the structure and behaviour of autonomous, intelligent systems, capable of adaptive action to pursue their interests. In this paper it is proposed that a natural reinterpretation of agent-theoretic intentional concepts like knowing, wanting, liking, etc., can be found in process dynamics. This reinterpretation of agent theory serves two purposes. On the one hand we gain a well established mathematical theory which can be used as the formal mathematical interpretation (semantics) of the abstract agent theory. On the other hand, since process dynamics is a theory that can also be applied to physical systems of various kinds, we gain an implementation route for the construction of artificial agents as bundles of processes in machines. The paper is intended as a basis for dialogue with workers in dynamics, AI, ethology and cognitive science.