Goal-Driven Behavior

In a cognitive architecture like PRIMUS, behavior isn't just a reaction to input; it is a proactive pursuit of internal goals.

The Motivation System

Every PRIMUS agent has a set of Drives or Primary Goals. These might be:

• Curiosity: The drive to explore new patterns.
• Homeostasis: The drive to maintain internal stability (e.g., energy levels).
• Social: The drive to interact with other agents.

Goal Hierarchies

Complex behavior requires breaking high-level goals into smaller, manageable sub-goals.

graph TD
    HG[High-Level Goal: Build a House]
    SG1[Sub-Goal: Gather Materials]
    SG2[Sub-Goal: Design Layout]
    SG3[Sub-Goal: Construction]
    
    HG --> SG1
    HG --> SG2
    HG --> SG3
    
    SG1 --> Task1[Find Wood]
    SG1 --> Task2[Find Stones]

Dynamic Re-prioritization

Unlike a static script, a PRIMUS agent can change its goals on the fly.

1. Context Change: If the agent is "Building a House" but suddenly senses a "Fire," the Homeostasis drive will override the building goal and create a new high-priority goal: "Escape Fire."
2. Success/Failure: If a task fails repeatedly, the agent might abandon the sub-goal and look for an alternative path.

Goal-Pattern Matching

In PRIMUS, goals are often represented as "Desired Patterns" in the AtomSpace.

• Current State: (At Agent Kitchen)
• Goal State: (At Agent Work)
• Reasoning: Find a sequence of actions (patterns) that transform the current state into the goal state.

Next: Planning Loops