Sesión extraordinaria del Seminario (21-10-2009): Paul Gochet

Fecha / Date: 21-10-2009.

Hora / Time: 12:00 h.

Lugar / Location: Seminario de Lógica de la Facultad de Filosofía - Universidad de Sevilla.

Ponente / Lecturer: Paul Gochet (Universidad de Lieja).

Título / Tittle: The K.A.R.O. architecture and the Situation Calculus.

Resumen / Abstract:
The KARO paradigm has been presented as an alternative way of formalizing rational agency. Four basic concepts are introduced: knowledge, ability, result and opportunity. In this approach « the agent i can bring about the state of affairs j by performing the action a » is defined as an instance of knowing that (an agent can realize j by performing a iff he knows that it has the practical possibility of realizing j by performing a ). This approach assumes that knowing how is reducible to knowing that. The situation calculus invented by McCarthy gives an account of knowing how which takes knowing how as primitive. What are the merits and limits of the two approaches? A provocative paper of John McCarthy (« Modality Si!, Modal logic, No! ») sparked off a debate which is still open. We shall try to arbitrate that debate.