Quantifying commitment

Abstract

Bratman argued that the purpose of intentions are to constrain the complexity of future decisions. However, the role of intentions in making future commitments is not well understood. In this paper, we propose a methodology to understand how an agent's commitment to its intentions relates to their dynamics. We quantify commitment through a ranking of intentions determined by their use in making decisions. While previous studies on intention revision hinge on changing beliefs, the current study investigates how changes in intention structure motivates further revision. We propose techniques for updating commitment in light of changed intention structures and in so doing identify new situations in which intention revision is rational. © 2008 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.