Abstract
In many research fields relating to computer science and engineering the usage of the term “agent” has become pervasive. The term is also used in many other fields stretching from sociology to chemistry. The most abstract meaning of the word could be defined as something that does something or causes something to happen, i.e. produces an effect or change.1 In relation to technology this definition includes almost any artefact depending on how strictly causing and doing are understood.2 Research fields related to artificial intelligence, robotics and software employ more narrow understandings of the term, but even within each community the conceptual meanings associated with the term “agent” are differentiated and intensively debated.
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Mogensen, M. (2001). Agents: Dependent Autonomy and Transparent Automatons?. In: Qvortrup, L. (eds) Virtual Interaction: Interaction in Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3698-9_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3698-9_5
Publisher Name: Springer, London
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