Norms as Constraints on Real-Time Autonomous Agent Action

We describe a general model of agent action, and ways of constraining action using norms. The agents under study are supersoft agents: autonomous artificial agents programmed to collect, formalise, and actively use qualitative data. A consistent, interruptible, and pre-emptive anytime algorithm that also has measurable quality and diminishing returns is discussed. The algorithm controls procedures for decision making already implemented. The model thus has computational meaning and strives to characterise real-time decision making in agents acting under uncertainty in imprecise and partially described environments.