Robotics and the Common Sense Informatic Situation

Murray Shanahan

Abstract

This paper proposes a logic-based framework in which a robot constructs a model of the world through an abductive process whereby sensor data is explained by hypothesising the existence, locations, and shapes of objects. Symbols appearing in the resulting explanations acquire meaning through the theory, and yet are grounded by the robot's interaction with the world. The proposed framework draws on existing logic-based formalisms for representing action, continuous change, space, and shape.