Observe > Orient >Decide > Act
Thought System is where:
- Communication is controlled
- The thinking begins
- Thought activity is monitored
- Contemplation, consideration and self evaluation
External Communications Network:
Sensory and information input coming from outside the system. Internal Communication Network: transactions
What is Autonomy in Complex Systems?
Autonomy is the ability of a system to achieve goals while operating independently of external control, and requires: self directedness and self-sufficiency. Implementing intelligent/thinking autonomy in a complex system requires an Intelligent Autonomous Systems Architecture (IASA) that enables and integrates all autonomy functional attributes, systems engineering processes and methods.
| Brute Force Minimal or no analysis and decisions by the system | Concept/Model Based (Thinking) Most analysis and decisions by the System |
|---|---|
| Problems are solved by the expert off-line, and made available to computer code to make the most appropriate choice of solutions (lookup tables). | Problems are solved by the autonomous system that is able to apply generic models of processes taking place in the system, in real time. |
| Solutions must be found for every possible case defined by every object, every process that involves the object, and every configuration of the system where the object belongs: and for every process that may occur in the system (nominal and off-nominal). | The autonomous system analyses the system behavior at a high level of abstraction, by applying generic models (e.g. physics models used in the models. Solutions are determined with a relatively small set of models. |
| Coverage is not comprehensive. It is limited by the thoroughness of the analysis by people. | Coverage is comprehensive for each generic model used. So total comprehensive coverage is feasible, since first principles cover all behaviors. |
| The autonomous system does not “think” it merely makes use of what has been “thought” by humans. | The autonomous system “thinks” to provide solutions that need not be solved off-line by humans. |
Clarifying Autonomy
A hardwire system cannot think, contemplate, communicate, evaluate, learn, design, plan, execute, or make decisions, because it cannot perform the fluid, self-reflective dynamic logic that is required for an autonomous system. The process of generating an Idea is considered the most important and unique attribute of the mind, and as such is the first prime mover of the thought process. The Concept is the other prime mover of the thought process. It is generated by the initial
stimulation of the Idea, and indeed it is for our design purposes an extension of the Idea and often remains a mental image object.
A thinking system must be equipped with the Intellect, Understanding, and Decision Logic necessary to complete the substantiation process.
For our purposes, the Idea can originate in any of the Will, Reason, or Understanding systems, but it is up to the Thought Process (nucleus) to develop it into a Concept.
