Formalizing the cooperative problem solving process
Michael Wooldridge, Nicholas R. Jennings · 1997
One objective of distributed artificial intelligence research is to build systems that are capable of cooperative problem solving. To this end, a number of implementation-oriented models of cooperative problem solving have been developed. However, math-ematical models of social activity have focussed only on limited aspects of the cooperative problem solving process: no mathematical model of the entire process has yet been de-scribed. In this paper, we rectify this omission. We present a preliminary model that describes the cooperative problem solving process from recognition of the potential for cooperation through to team action. The model is formalised by representing it as a the-ory in a quantified multi-modal logic. A key feature of the model is its reliance on the twin notions of commitments and conventions; conventions (protocols for monitoring com-mitments) are formalised for the first time in this paper. We comment on the generality of the model, outline its deficiencies, and suggest some possible refinements and other future areas of research. 1