Explorations in Design Space

The methodology of AI as the general study of natural and artiicial intelligence is outlined, including exploration of designs for a variety of behaving systems, for both scientiic and engineering purposes. Thèdesign-stance' treats minds as sophisticated self-monitoring, self-modifying control systems. Diierent architectures can satisfy that description. Exploration of possible requirements and designs for complete agents is important not only for engineering purposes but also for bringing together hitherto fragmentary studies of mind in various disciplines, providing a basis for an adequate set of descriptive concepts, clarifying various evolutionary questions, and making it possible to understand what goes wrong in various human activities and which remedies might work. This requires studying niches as well as designs.