Autonomous agency, AI, and allostasis: A biomimetic perspective

Muntean, Ioan; Wright, Cory D.

doi:10.1075/pc.15.3.07mun

Article published In: Mechanicism and Autonomy: What Can Robotics Teach Us About Human Cognition and Action?
Edited by Maria Eunice Quilici Gonzalez, Willem F.G. Haselager and Itiel E. Dror
[Pragmatics & Cognition 15:3] 2007
► pp. 485–513

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Autonomous agency, AI, and allostasis

A biomimetic perspective

Ioan Muntean

Cory D. Wright

Published online: 13 December 2007

https://doi.org/10.1075/pc.15.3.07mun

We argue that the concepts of mechanism and autonomy appear to be antagonistic when autonomy is conflated with agency. Once these concepts are disentangled, it becomes clearer how autonomy could emerge from complex forms of control — especially, homeostatic regulatory systems. While research in AI and robotics would do well to continue incorporating biomimetic strategies, we propose that invoking models of allostatic mechanisms is a better way to understand how autonomy in artificial systems can be enhanced.

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Cited by four other publications

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