Behavioral States: Linking Functional and Physical Descriptions

摘要

In this paper, I will introduce the notion of "behavioral state" as a means to bridge the gap between functional specifications and their implementations, borrowing from ethology and to some extent from research in behavior-based robotics. First, I will briefly sketch some of the problems resulting from mere functional descriptions for the designer of a mind. Then I will define the notion of behavioral state and locate its place as mediator between functional and physical states. After sketching the way in which I forsee behavioral states could be used in the design of minds, I will conclude that an intermediary level of architectural specification between functional and physical description will be of great advantage (if not necessity) in designing a mind, regardless of the success of the notion of behavioral state.