The Society of MindThe Society of Mindby Marvin Minsky

MotivationMotivation

What is human mind and how does it What is human mind and how does it work?work?

How do we recognize objects and scenes?How do we recognize objects and scenes?How do we use words and languages.How do we use words and languages.How do we achieve goals?How do we achieve goals?How do we learn ?How do we learn ?How does “common sense” work?How does “common sense” work?

An individual ant is not very bright, but ants in a An individual ant is not very bright, but ants in a colony, operating as a collective, do remarkable colony, operating as a collective, do remarkable things. things.

Motivation(contd.)Motivation(contd.)

"A single neuron in the human brain can respond only to what the neurons connected to it are doing, but all of them together can be Albert Einstein." By Deborah M. Gordon (Stanford University)

Some social systems in Nature can present an Some social systems in Nature can present an intelligent collective behavior although they are intelligent collective behavior although they are composed by simple individuals. composed by simple individuals.

The intelligent solutions to problems naturally The intelligent solutions to problems naturally “emerge” from the self-organization and “emerge” from the self-organization and communication of these individuals. communication of these individuals.

Analogy : Ants' societyAnalogy : Ants' society

Individual ants are simple insects with limited Individual ants are simple insects with limited memory and capable of performing simple actions. memory and capable of performing simple actions.

However, an ant colony expresses a complex However, an ant colony expresses a complex collective behavior providing collective behavior providing intelligent solutions intelligent solutions to problemsto problems such as: such as: carrying large itemscarrying large itemsforming bridgesforming bridgesfinding the shortest routes from the nest to a food source, finding the shortest routes from the nest to a food source,

prioritizing food sources based on their distance and ease prioritizing food sources based on their distance and ease of access.of access.

Analogy :Ants society(cont.)Analogy :Ants society(cont.)

How do they know which task to perform?How do they know which task to perform?

How can they manage to find the shortest path (Goal)?

Ants have dealt with with the same kind of questions which we have set out with.

How did the Ants communicate with each other ?

How do they form such huge colonies ?

Analogy :Ants society(cont.)Analogy :Ants society(cont.)

Introduction

K-lines, Nomes, Nemes

K-lines example, Large Agencies, Problem Solving

Communication and Growth of Mental Societies

Recent developments and conclusion

Content

AgentsAgentsAny part or process of Brain that by itself Any part or process of Brain that by itself

is simple enough to understandis simple enough to understandAgents constitute the building blocks of the Agents constitute the building blocks of the

mindmind In society of mind, mental activity reduces In society of mind, mental activity reduces

to turning individual agents on and offto turning individual agents on and offUnintelligentUnintelligent

AgencyAgency

Society of simple agents Society of simple agents Can perform functions more complex Can perform functions more complex

than any single agent couldthan any single agent couldComplicated behavior is the result of Complicated behavior is the result of

the interaction between groups of the interaction between groups of agentsagents

K-linesK-lines

Turns on a particular set of agentsTurns on a particular set of agentsActivating a K-line can cause a cacade of Activating a K-line can cause a cacade of

effects in the mindeffects in the mindReactivates the previous mental state Reactivates the previous mental state

based on the similarities between current based on the similarities between current situation and the situation previously situation and the situation previously encounteredencountered

Causes to enter particular remembered Causes to enter particular remembered configuration of agentsconfiguration of agents

Classes of K-linesClasses of K-lines

Nemes are concerned with the representing Nemes are concerned with the representing aspects of the worldaspects of the world

Nomes are concerned with controlling how Nomes are concerned with controlling how the representations are manipulated.the representations are manipulated.

NemesNemes

produced by learning from experienceproduced by learning from experiencePolynemes invoke partial states within Polynemes invoke partial states within

multiple agenciesmultiple agenciespolynemes supports that meaning can be polynemes supports that meaning can be

better expressed across multiple better expressed across multiple representationsrepresentations

MicronemesMicronemes

Refers aspects of a situation that are Refers aspects of a situation that are difficult to attach to any particular thingdifficult to attach to any particular thing

Feelings, emotions etcFeelings, emotions etc

NomesNomes

Controls how representations are Controls how representations are manipulatedmanipulated

Isonomes signal to different agencies to Isonomes signal to different agencies to perform the same uniform type of coginitive perform the same uniform type of coginitive operationoperation

Pronomes control the use of short-time Pronomes control the use of short-time memorymemory

Pronomes are often associated with a Pronomes are often associated with a specific role in a large situation or eventspecific role in a large situation or event

ParanomesParanomes

Set of pronomes linked to each other Set of pronomes linked to each other Changes made by one pronome produce Changes made by one pronome produce

corresponding changes by other pronomes corresponding changes by other pronomes to related representationsto related representations

Example of K-lineExample of K-line

K-line attached to many agents.K-line attached to many agents.

Example of K-line formationExample of K-line formation

K-line formed due to the eventK-line formed due to the event

How to combine agents to form How to combine agents to form larger agencies?larger agencies?

FramesFramesFrames are a form of knowledge Frames are a form of knowledge

representationrepresentationConcerned with representing a thing and all Concerned with representing a thing and all

the other things or properties that relate to it in the other things or properties that relate to it in certain particular ways.certain particular ways.

Has slots.Has slots.Built from pronomes which control use of slots.Built from pronomes which control use of slots.

Frame-arraysFrame-arraysCollection of frames which share slots.Collection of frames which share slots.

How to combine agents to form How to combine agents to form larger agencies? larger agencies?

Each frame describes the thing from some Each frame describes the thing from some particular perspective or point of view.particular perspective or point of view.

TransframesTransframesRepresent events and all of the entities that Represent events and all of the entities that

were involved with or related to the event.were involved with or related to the event.Picture-frames that represent the spatial Picture-frames that represent the spatial

layout of objects within scenes.layout of objects within scenes.

How can agents solve How can agents solve problems?problems?

Difference EnginesDifference EnginesSimple Machine.Simple Machine.Operate on difference between the current Operate on difference between the current

state and goal state.state and goal state. invoke suitable k-lines which reduce the invoke suitable k-lines which reduce the

difference.difference.Censors and SuppressorsCensors and Suppressors

Additional Knowledge about common pit falls Additional Knowledge about common pit falls and bugs in the methods.and bugs in the methods.

Supress the actions which lead to bugs.Supress the actions which lead to bugs.

How can agents solve How can agents solve problems? (contd...)problems? (contd...)

A-Brain and B-BrainA-Brain and B-BrainSome type of pitfalls not particular to any Some type of pitfalls not particular to any

methodmethodloopinglooping

B-Brain B-Brain think about the A-Brain.think about the A-Brain.

How do agents communicate How do agents communicate with each other?with each other?

K-LinesK-Lines invoke other agents in the mind.invoke other agents in the mind.

Connection-linesConnection-linesagents connected to each other through bus.agents connected to each other through bus.

Internal languageInternal languageSimilar to how people communicate with each Similar to how people communicate with each

other in their natural language.other in their natural language.ParanomesParanomes

Common MethodCommon Method

Growth of Mental SocietiesGrowth of Mental Societies

ProtospecialistsProtospecialistsHighly evolved agencies that produce Highly evolved agencies that produce

behaviors behaviors provide initial solutions to problems such as provide initial solutions to problems such as

locomotion, obtaining food.locomotion, obtaining food.Predestined LearningPredestined Learning

Abilities which are shared among all the Abilities which are shared among all the people.people.

eg.walkingeg.walking

Growth of Mental SocietiesGrowth of Mental Societies

Types of LearningTypes of LearningAccumulatingAccumulating

Remember each example or experience as Remember each example or experience as separate case.separate case.

UniframingUniframingFinding general discription which subsumes Finding general discription which subsumes

multiple examples. multiple examples. TransframingTransframing

Anology or some other form of bridge between two Anology or some other form of bridge between two represenatations.represenatations.

ReformulationReformulationNew ways to describe the existing knowledge.New ways to describe the existing knowledge.

Growth of Mental SocietiesGrowth of Mental Societies

Learning from attachment figuresLearning from attachment figuresHow to learn goals in the first place.How to learn goals in the first place.Interaction with attachment figures.Interaction with attachment figures.

Learning from Mental ManagersLearning from Mental Managersmental growth are based not simply on mental growth are based not simply on

acquiring new skillsacquiring new skillsacquiring new administrative ways to use what acquiring new administrative ways to use what

one already knowsone already knowsDevelopment StagesDevelopment Stages

Multiple Stages.Multiple Stages.Train each other.Train each other.

Recent DevelopmentsRecent Developments

Case-based reasoningCase-based reasoningThis field studies implementation details of K-This field studies implementation details of K-

lines. lines. The methods that have been developed by this The methods that have been developed by this

community are the most similar in spirit to community are the most similar in spirit to Minsky's ideas about K-linesMinsky's ideas about K-lines

•Multiagent systemsMultiagent systemsThis Field tries to answer the kinds of This Field tries to answer the kinds of

questions about how one might build a questions about how one might build a Society of Mind. Society of Mind.

Researchers have proposed many ideas Researchers have proposed many ideas about how agents should communicate, about how agents should communicate, how they might coordinate their different how they might coordinate their different goals, how they might work together to plan goals, how they might work together to plan solutions to problems, and so forth.solutions to problems, and so forth.

There are now a wide variety of There are now a wide variety of architectural ideas about how to build architectural ideas about how to build multiagent systems multiagent systems

Consequences of the theoryConsequences of the theory

Godel's Incompleteness Theorem.Godel's Incompleteness Theorem.Technological Singularity.Technological Singularity.Artificial Creativity.Artificial Creativity.

Are People Machines?Are People Machines? Human activities can Human activities can

be broken down into be broken down into small, simple actions.small, simple actions.

It may be that humans It may be that humans are only highly are only highly complicated machines complicated machines with billions of parts.with billions of parts.

ReferencesReferences

[1] Push Singh: Examining the Society of [1] Push Singh: Examining the Society of Mind. Computers and Artificial Intelligence Mind. Computers and Artificial Intelligence 22(6): (2003)22(6): (2003)

[2] Marvin Minskey: Society of Mind. Book[2] Marvin Minskey: Society of Mind. Book [3] Julie Minskey: Society of Mind. Article. [3] Julie Minskey: Society of Mind. Article.

www.oss.net/dynamaster/file_archive/0403www.oss.net/dynamaster/file_archive/040324/e4bbee1dc1385f85730df870d1608682/24/e4bbee1dc1385f85730df870d1608682/WER-INFO-64.pdfWER-INFO-64.pdf

[4] Artificial Consciousness. Article. [4] Artificial Consciousness. Article. www.alextreme.org/docs/faai/Artificial_Conwww.alextreme.org/docs/faai/Artificial_Consciousness-24042004.htmlsciousness-24042004.html