Behavior-based Artificial Intelligence is a branch of AI which approaches intelligence from the standpoint of multiple, simple decision makers whose combined action leads to the expression of more complicated behavior. This approach to AI is modeled after a paradigm for considering the complexities of the human mind and behavior. At the most basic level of this worldview, the human mind appears to be made up of several intrapsychic subsystems. So, rather than seeing the individual as being moody and gloomy in one moment, impulsive and gluttony the next, calculative and rational the moment after that, the idea of the person is considered to be a bundle of all these different inclinations.
Intrapsychic subsystems are always in conflict because they are competing for the right to be expressed in behavior. This makes sense when one considers the fact that the different inclinations of the individual have goals which do not necessarily overlap. For instance, the goal of the moody and gloomy inclination might be to just lie in bed sulking, while the calculative and rational inclination has the goal of paying the bills – which won’t happen unless one goes to work.
The conflict between the different intrapsychic subsystems is over who will be in control of overt behavior and this conflict is resolved by bringing them under the control of a personality.
There are 4 different ways this may play out.
Winner Takes All: In this approach, the intrapsychic subsystems are simply left to the whims of time and chance. Eventually, one of the intrapsychic subsytems will emerge as the dominant personality that governs all expressed behavior. We all know of spoiled children who grew into lazy, miserable and unmotivated adults. A lifetime of indiscipline led them down the path of least resistance. For obvious reasons, this is the least desirable means of developing a personality.
Cultural Education: The conflict between intrapsychic subsystems is compounded by the potential for interpersonal conflict when people come together to live as a group. To resolve this, the incentives for pursuing group goals have to be stronger than those for pursing individual goals. That is, the goals of the group have to be compelling enough, such that the individuals who make up the group are willing to subject their warring subsystems to the dictates of the group. In other words, a personality is developed through culture norms. In fact, we say an individual is “cultured” to the extent to which he embodies cultural norms and expresses them in action. For the most part, harmony within the group can be maintained when personality is developed in this manner. Problems arise when in-group members come in contact with out-group members.
Mentors and Role Models: The personality that resolves intrapsychic conflict can be resolved by simply imitating one’s role model or mentor. When my baby brother was very little, he watched numerous episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. At the end of each episode, he would tie a blanket round his neck and wear his underwear outside his trousers. He’d walk around the house confidently with his chest puffed out. My little brother had embodied the spirit of Superman and nothing was going to stop him. In those precious moments, his behavior as expressed in overt action was simplified by asking, “What would Superman do?” . The downside to this method is that we do not spend all our waking hours shadowing our models. As a consequence, the part of the mentor which we have access to and are trying model our lives after is only a small subset of what makes them who they are. We’ve all heard stories of people who lost respect for their role models when they got to see them up, close and personal. The mystique around their personality was gone and only the mundane was left.
The Holy Spirit: As a Christian, I’ve come to understand the Holy Spirit also gives believers a personality that resolves the conflict between the different intrapsychic subsystems. Life is complex, and no matter how many times you read through the Bible, you’re not going to get direct answers to personalized questions like whether you should marry Jane or Juliet, or whether you should relocate to a warmer climate or stay put in your current location. In fact, if you merely restrict yourself to the letters of the Bible, it could kill you (2 Corinthians 3:6). A truly rich and abundant life only comes when you partner with the Holy Spirit, develop the personality He endows upon you, and allow Him to unfold for you the unforced, rhythms of grace as you journey through life.
Disclaimer: The “Notes/Ideas Lab” category on my website will contain ideas and thoughts that I have not fully developed. I may eventually get round to fleshing them out into a full essay. I also reserve the right not to do so…
