Preparing For Intelligent Preparing For Intelligent Information Systems:Information Systems:

Activity Policies, Electronic Agents Activity Policies, Electronic Agents and Ethical Transactionsand Ethical Transactions

Christopher W. Higgins

Lane Powell Spears Lubersky, LLP

“Ethical Change Represents the Greatest Increase in Personality.”

I Ching, The Book of Changes No. 42

IA

IAIAIA

IA IA

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

This is an Information AssetThis is an Information Asset

IAIAIt May Have:It May Have:

•no value unless it can be no value unless it can be exchangedexchanged•value only if that value can be value only if that value can be protectedprotected•different values in different different values in different contextscontexts•value beyond pricevalue beyond price

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

Activity PolicyActivity Policy

Each IA Must Have Its Own APEach IA Must Have Its Own AP

IAIA

The set of terms and conditions The set of terms and conditions under which an owner permits an under which an owner permits an asset to participate in some set of asset to participate in some set of activities.activities.

Familiar Examples of Activity Policies:Familiar Examples of Activity Policies:•license agreements or price scheduleslicense agreements or price schedules•file permissions or security classificationsfile permissions or security classifications

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

SoftwareSoftwareProductProduct

License to UseLicense to UseClassifiedClassified

InfoInfo

Security ClearanceSecurity Clearance

ShortShortStoryStory

Hit CounterHit Counter

PornoPorno

Notice/DisclaimerNotice/Disclaimer

Some Examples

Type

Operation

Condition

Policy

Internal Structure

External Structure

APs as Structural Interfaces

Type

The 12 HyTime Activity TypesThe 12 HyTime Activity Types

Create Delete Access

Modify + Link - Link

The 12 HyTime Activity TypesThe 12 HyTime Activity Types

Copy Transclude Untransclude

Schedule Reschedule Unschedule

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

EndlessVariety

EndlessVariety

HyTime does not prescribe the expression of Activity Policies, Conditions, or Operations, and

only provides a base set of Types for use with applications.

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

Examples of AP Operations

Type

Operation

Condition

Policy• System login and security tracking• Credit database query• Interactive user applications• Structural maintainence • Account debit or credit • Electronic transfers

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

Examples of AP Conditions

Type

Operation

Condition

Policy

• Identity: licensee/friend/stranger

• Atributes: network/jurisdiction

• Financial status or credit history

• Knowledge, skills, abilities

• Time of day, week, year, cycle

• System considerations

• Legal Obligations

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

IA

AP

IA

Type

Operation

Condition

Policy

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

Security

Financial

Legal

Other

Activity Policy Application

IA

IA

IA

IA

IA

IA

Contract Obligation

Monthly Report

Personal Interest

Jerry Garcia Rules!

Political P

assionC

ivil Rights for A

ll

Fiancial OpportunitySeeking Venture Capital

Private Directive

He promised not to call her

Mandatory N

otice

Porno

Citation

Footnote

Researc

h

Phys

ics R

ules

IA

IAIAIA

IA IA

Copyright Chris W. Higgins, 1996

Comm. Issue = Transfering ReliablyFrom A to B

Redundant Checks BA

AP Issue = Mediating Exchange ofValue Between A & B

Interpretive Semantics BA

HyTimeHyTime

XM

LX

ML

SG

ML

SG

ML

HTM

LH

TML

OS

DO

SD

DS

SL

DS

SL

XM

LX

ML

SGML

SGML

OS

DO

SD

DSSL

DSSLHTM

L

HTM

L

HyT

ime

HyT

ime

HTMLHTML

XMLXML

SGMLSGML

HyT

ime

HyT

ime

OSD OSDDSSL DSSL

HTMLHTML

XML

XML

SG

ML

SG

ML

HyTimeHyTime OS

DO

SD

DSS

LD

SSL

HT

ML

HT

ML

XM

LX

ML

SGM

L

SGM

L

HyTim

e

HyTim

e OSDOSDDSSLDSSLHTML

HTMLXMLXML

SG

ML

SG

ML

HyTim

eH

yTime

OSD

OSDDSSL

DSSL

Property Set

Markup & Content

DTD

Notation System

Property Set

Markup & Content

DTD

Notation System

The SGML Universe

Instance

Language Game

Syntax & Semantics

Meta Grammar

The Structure of Language

Language Game

RUN

Danger

NOW

WordOrder

Expression

ArgumentOrder

Meaning

Syntax

Reason

Semantics

Home

Creature

NOW

RUN

Danger

NOW

True

Perception

False

Accept

Nonsense

Sense

Reject

Syntax is a closed system of conventions

CONFORMING NON-CONFORMING

all instances verifiable all requirements of syntax could

be dictated to cover everyinstance at a given time

Logic

Semantics is an open system for relations

CONFORMING NON-CONFORMING

Sense

• some are verifiable, some are not• all requirements cannot be dictated because of the role of perception in meaning

Instance

Model

Conformance vs. Non-conformance

In the SGML Universe...

Instance

Model

Conformance vs. Non-conformance

In the SGML Universe...

Instance

Model

Conformance vs. Non-conformance

In the Sagan/Leary Universe...

Context

&

Substance

Relevant Legal InterestsRelevant Legal Interests

non-verifiable

verifiable

Context

&

Substance

Expression Perception

Relevant Legal InterestsRelevant Legal Interests

Case 2: “This is good.”• metaphysical preferences of the speaker• open system unverifiable beyond faith

Case 4: “Euthanasia is good.”

Case 3: “This is art.”

Case 1: “This is good.”• relative expression of value conforming to a predetermined standard• verifiable closed system

The Law and Ethical Language

Intelligent TransactionsIntelligent Transactions

Intelligent TransactionsIntelligent Transactions

Intelligent Agent ActionsIntelligent Agent Actions

Actor-Type Observer-Type

• external objective• acquire rights• enforce rights• specific benefits• specific burdens

• internal objective• receive information• create associations• general benefits• general burdens

Three Types of Three Types of Intelligent TransactionsIntelligent Transactions

Actor - Actor

• traditional economics and selfish incentives• transaction details are primary source of law

Actor - Observer

• mixed interests and responsibilities• practical differentiation for distribution of legal reqs.

Observer - Observer

• lowest danger of fraud, highest policy interest• no source of law is generated by the transaction

Justice

Activity Policy

Language

Law

Mar

kup

DT

DN

ota

tio

n

Pro

per

tyS

et

Lan

gu

age

Just

ice

AP

sL

aw

Inst

anceG

ames

Syn

tax

Sem

anti

cs

Met

aG

ram

mar

SGML LawLanguage

“About those things which we cannot speak we must remain

silent.”

Ludwig Wittgenstein, The Blue Book

Preparing For Intelligent Preparing For Intelligent Information Systems:Information Systems:

Activity Policies, Electronic Agents Activity Policies, Electronic Agents and Ethical Transactionsand Ethical Transactions

Christopher W. Higgins

Lane Powell Spears Lubersky, LLP