Theories and Metaphors of Cyberspace- Abstracts

A LOGIC FOR NETWORKED VIRTUAL WORLDS

By Paulo Camargo Silva

Abstract:

In the last years we have seen a rapid growth of research with reference to networked or distributed virtual reality (DVR). Projects such as: Networked Virtual Art Museum; Virtual Design and Teleconferencing Station; Loral; The Synthetic Battllebrids, etc, are distributed virtual reality applications, (Loeffer [1994], {\O}derg{\aa}rd [1994], Stytz [1994]). The DVR presupposes distributed virtual worlds (DVW). Some research have displayed the necessity to develop a non-crisp logic to solve problems in contradiction of virtual worlds (Bricken [1990]). Additionally, there are efforts of research in sense to structure virtual worlds (VW) through fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) (Kosko and Dickerson [1994], Dickerson and Kosko [1994]). On the other hand distributed systems can be modelled through multi-agent modal logic of knowledge and belief (Halpern and Moses [1992], Halpern [1986], Halpern and Moses [1985], and Neiger and Tuttle [1993].

DVWs structured throught FCMs can be modelled by multi-agent modal logic of knowledge and belief, since a DVW is a distributed system. In this article we present a multi-agent modal logic for knowledge and belief in which possible worlds are FCMs. This logic is able to structure distributed virtual worlds.

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