Defworld

Defworld is a multiagent simulation library for interactive storytelling.

Rule

Each agent manipulates ideas on its working memory(WM) according to a set of IF-THEN style rules. For example, the following code means “If Socrates is a human, then Socrates is mortal”.

Rule('socrates-mortal', [         # A 'socrates-mortal' rule:
    Fact('Socrates is a human'),  # If Socrates is a human,
    ],[                           # then
    Fact('Socrates is mortal')])  # Socrates is mortal.

defworld.patterns.Fact is a WM item about facts. The ‘socrates-mortal’ rule append a fact “Socrates is mortal” on the WM when there is a fact “Sorcrates is a human” on WM.

On the other hand, some rules executes actions. For example, the follwing code means “If the phone rings, answer the phone”

Rule('answer-phone', [            # A 'answer-phone' rule:
    Fact('the phone rings'),      # If the phone rings,
    ],[                           # then
    Action('answer the phone')])  # answer the phone

defworld.patterns.Action is also a WM item. This ‘answer-phone’ rule append the defworld.patterns.Action , ‘answer the phone’ on WM, and then ActionModule executes the action in the designated way.

Every WM item has a name and slots. For example,

Fact('human', name='Socrates')
Action('answer', target='phone')

Slot values could be variables. Defworld fills these variables with pattern matching.

Rule('human-mortal', [              # A 'human-mortal' rule:
    Fact('human', name=Var('x')),   # If x is a human
    ],[                             # then
    Fact('mortal', name=Var('x'))]) # x is mortal

If there is a fact Fact('human', name='Socrates') on WM, then a new item Fact('mortal', name='Socrates') is appended on WM.

Agent

An agent has initial facts and rules. Initial facts are loaded on WM when the agents are created.

Agent(
    # initial facts
    [ Fact('human', name='Socrates') ], # A human whose name is 'Socrates'
    # rules
    [ Rule('socrates-mortal', [         # A 'socrates-mortal' rule:
        Fact('human', name=Var('x')),   # If x is a human,
        ],[                             # then
        Fact('mortal', name=Var('x'))]) # x is mortal.
    ])

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