Agent规范与编程语言SPLAW的语法和语义

THE SYNTAX AND SEMANTICS OF SPLAW-AN AGENT SPECIFICATION AND PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

本文描述了Agent规范与编程语言SPLAW的语法，为SPLAW中的各种语言成分提供了操作语义，并基于标记转换系统给出Agent性质的证明规则．由于SPLAW的通信部分采用不依赖于具体应用的Agent交互语言KQML，使遵循同一标准的Agent之间能进行协作问题求解．SPLAW首次为Agent提供继承支持，使其可以实现具有面向对象特征的多线程系统．SPLAW屏弃了为语言引入内部模态词的缺陷，试图从外部为Agent赋予信念、愿望、意念等心智状态，有助于统一Agent的理论研究和实际系统设计．

Slnce AOP was proposed by Shoham, the agent-oriented methodology has been studied from different aspects-However, whether and how much a new methodology can be accepted mainly depends on whether the language reflecting this new methodology can be used widely or not. For this purpose, it is very important to design a suitable programming language for agent. This paper descr1bes the syntax of an agent specification and programming language-SPLAW, provides operational semantics for each statement defined in SPLAW, and by means of labeled transition systeml presents the proof rules which can be used to prove the properties such as safety and liveness. SPLAW has at least the following advantages. First, it is based on KQML, the standard inter-agent communication language, which rnakes it possible for agents written in SPLAW to interoperate with other agents obeying KQML. Second, the feature of inheritance is first supported by an agent programming language, which facilitates the construction of multi-thread systems that take on some object-oriented features. Last but not least, instead of adopting built-in modalities in the programming language, SPLAW try to assign mental states such as belief, intention and desire for agents from external viewpoint, which may provide a feasible solution to unify the fields of theory research and practical system design.