Theory of Functional Agency: Redefining Agency via Operative System Dynamics

{"[Abstract]This":[0],"paper":[1],"redefines":[2],"the":[3,47,96,105],"concept":[4],"of":[5,29,69,117],"\\"Agency,\\"":[6],"long":[7],"conflated":[8],"with":[9,46,104,119],"psychological":[10],"attributes":[11],"like":[12],"\\"consciousness\\"":[13],"or":[14,16,72,115],"\\"intention,\\"":[15],"specific":[17],"biological":[18],"structures,":[19],"from":[20,85],"a":[21,25,37],"functional":[22],"perspective,":[23],"formulating":[24],"universal":[26],"axiomatic":[27,78],"framework":[28],"\\"Functional":[30,80],"Agency.\\"":[31],"We":[32],"frame":[33],"agency":[34],"not":[35],"as":[36,41,63,107],"static":[38],"property,":[39],"but":[40],"an":[42],"\\"operative":[43],"process\\"":[44],"interacting":[45],"external":[48],"environment,":[49,106],"proposing":[50],"three":[51],"axioms":[52],"(Boundary":[53],"Maintenance,":[54],"Internally":[55],"Initiated":[56],"Discriminative":[57],"Connection,":[58],"and":[59,65,87],"Irreversible":[60],"State":[61],"Change)":[62],"necessary":[64],"sufficient":[66],"conditions":[67],"independent":[68],"hardware":[70],"implementation":[71],"internal":[73],"intelligence.":[74],"By":[75],"introducing":[76],"this":[77],"framework,":[79],"Agency\\"":[81],"is":[82],"explicitly":[83],"decoupled":[84],"intelligence":[86],"communicability.":[88],"This":[89],"makes":[90],"it":[91],"possible":[92],"to":[93],"objectively":[94],"position":[95],"operation":[97],"itself,":[98],"which":[99],"induces":[100],"irreversible":[101],"structural":[102],"updates":[103],"\\"agency,\\"":[108],"even":[109],"for":[110],"systems":[111],"lacking":[112],"higher-order":[113],"thinking":[114],"means":[116],"communication":[118],"human":[120],"observers.":[121],"[Japanese":[122,124],"Title]主体性機能論:作動的システムダイナミクスによる主体性の再定義":[123],"Abstract]本論文は、従来「意識」や「意図」といった心理的属性、あるいは生物特有の構造と混同されてきた「主体性(Agency)」の概念を機能的な視点から再定義し、「主体性機能(Functional":[125],"Agency)」の普遍的な公理系フレームワークを定式化するものである。本論では、主体性を静的な属性ではなく外部環境との相互作用における「作動プロセス」として捉え直し、ハードウェアの実装や内部知性の有無に左右されない必要十分条件として、3つの公理(「境界維持」「内部起点の識別接続」「不可逆的状態変化」)を提示する。本公理系の導入により、「主体性機能」は「知性」および「通信可能性」から明確に切り離され、高度な思考や観測者(人間)との意思疎通手段を持たないシステムであっても、環境との間で不可逆な構造更新を起こす作動そのものを「主体性」として客観的に位置づけることが可能となる。":[126]}

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-09-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22771690
Primary Topic
Embodied and Extended Cognition
Type
preprint
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preprint

Theory of Functional Agency: Redefining Agency via Operative System Dynamics

Joyer
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Embodied and Extended Cognition
preprint

Theory of Functional Agency: Redefining Agency via Operative System Dynamics

Joyer
preprint en

Abstract

[Abstract]This paper redefines the concept of "Agency," long conflated with psychological attributes like "consciousness" or "intention," or specific biological structures, from a functional perspective, formulating a universal axiomatic framework of "Functional Agency." We frame agency not as a static property, but as an "operative process" interacting with the external environment, proposing three axioms (Boundary Maintenance, Internally Initiated Discriminative Connection, and Irreversible State Change) as necessary and sufficient conditions independent of hardware implementation or internal intelligence. By introducing this axiomatic framework, "Functional Agency" is explicitly decoupled from intelligence and communicability. This makes it possible to objectively position the operation itself, which induces irreversible structural updates with the environment, as "agency," even for systems lacking higher-order thinking or means of communication with human observers. [Japanese Title]主体性機能論:作動的システムダイナミクスによる主体性の再定義 [Japanese Abstract]本論文は、従来「意識」や「意図」といった心理的属性、あるいは生物特有の構造と混同されてきた「主体性(Agency)」の概念を機能的な視点から再定義し、「主体性機能(Functional Agency)」の普遍的な公理系フレームワークを定式化するものである。本論では、主体性を静的な属性ではなく外部環境との相互作用における「作動プロセス」として捉え直し、ハードウェアの実装や内部知性の有無に左右されない必要十分条件として、3つの公理(「境界維持」「内部起点の識別接続」「不可逆的状態変化」)を提示する。本公理系の導入により、「主体性機能」は「知性」および「通信可能性」から明確に切り離され、高度な思考や観測者(人間)との意思疎通手段を持たないシステムであっても、環境との間で不可逆な構造更新を起こす作動そのものを「主体性」として客観的に位置づけることが可能となる。

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Reduced inequalities
Embodied and Extended Cognition
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