Normative systems in computer science. Ten guidelines for normative multiagent systems

in Normative Multi-agent Systems (2009)

In this paper we introduce and discuss ten guidelines for the use of normative systems in computer science. We adopt a multiagent sys- tems perspective, because norms are used to coordinate, organize ... [more ▼]

In this paper we introduce and discuss ten guidelines for the use of normative systems in computer science. We adopt a multiagent sys- tems perspective, because norms are used to coordinate, organize, guide, regulate or control interaction among distributed autonomous systems. The first six guidelines are derived from the computer science literature. From the so-called ‘normchange’ definition of the first workshop on nor- mative multiagent systems in 2005 we derive the guidelines to motivate which definition of normative multiagent system is used, to make explicit why norms are a kind of (soft) constraints deserving special analysis, and to explain why and how norms can be changed at runtime. From the so-called ‘mechanism design’ definition of the second workshop on nor- mative multiagent systems in 2007 we derive the guidelines to discuss the use and role of norms as a mechanism in a game-theoretic setting, clarify the role of norms in the multiagent system, and to relate the no- tion of “norm” to the legal, social, or moral literature. The remaining four guidelines follow from the philosophical literature: use norms also to resolve dilemmas, and in general to coordinate, organize, guide, regulate or control interaction among agents, distinguish norms from obligations, prohibitions and permissions, use the deontic paradoxes only to illustrate the normative multiagent system, and consider regulative norms in rela- tion to other kinds of norms and other social-cognitive computer science concepts. [less ▲]

A Game-Theoretic Approach to Normative Multi-Agent Systems

in Normative Multi-agent Systems (2007)

We aim to explain our own approach, and we are therefore very brief with respect to recent related approaches in the area of normative multiagent sys- tems. For these other approaches, see the special ... [more ▼]

We aim to explain our own approach, and we are therefore very brief with respect to recent related approaches in the area of normative multiagent sys- tems. For these other approaches, see the special issue on normative multiagent systems in Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory[68], these DROPS proceedings, the proceedings of the biannual workshops on deontic logic in computer science (¢EON) and of the COIN workshop series. 1The layout of this paper follows the Øve questions above, addressing each of them in a new section. [less ▲]