Subjective Senses
Sensors A and B are objective. They measure properties of the environment, but don't judge if that information is good or bad. We need to give our creation a different type of sensor - one that only indicates if actions are beneficial or harmful (increase or decrease the probability of accomplishing their primary goal.) These subjective sensors should have a value between 1.0 and -1.0 correlating to these meanings.
- 1.0 is the best possible outcome. It should indicate that the creature's primary goal has been achieved and if it never accomplishes anything else, it can die happy.
- 0.0 indicates no affect on the chances of eventually accomplishing the primary goal.
- -1.0 is the worst thing that could possibly happen: death and dismemberment, all previous accomplishments destroyed and other terrible disasters.
Let's have action P return a subjective sense value equal to -0.001 minus its action parameter times 0.002. Moving costs time and energy and results in no immediate benefit. Our creature can't feel the simple joy of taking a walk, yet.
Action G will return its action parameter value multiplied by -0.01, but when the parameter is greater than or equal to 3.0, it adds 0.050, resulting in a pleasurable response. Acquiring resources expends a little time and energy, but when successful, results in usable energy and other critical materials.
Behavior
Click the New Turn button a few times if you want to see this in action.
Sensor C: , Sensor F:
Action:
Subjective Sense: ()
| Situation (Sensor C, F) | Action: Parameter |