A Model of Rational Agency for Communicating Agents

The Cognitive Agent Specification Language (CASL) is a framework for specifying and verifying complex communicating multiagent systems. In this paper, we extend CASL to incorporate a formal model of means-end reasoning suitable for a multiagent context. In particular, we define a simple model of cooperative ability, give a definition of rational plans, and show how an agent’s intentions play a role in determining her next actions. This bridges the gap between intentions to achieve a goal and intentions to act. We also define a notion of subjective plan execution and show that in the absence of interference, an agent that is able to achieve a goal, intends to do so, and is acting rationally and subjectively executing plans, will eventually achieve it.