This article is the second step in our research into the
Symbol Grounding Problem (SGP). In a previous work, we defined the main condition that must be satisfied by any strategy in order to provide a valid
solution to the SGP, namely the
zero semantic commitment condition (Z condition). We then showed that all the main strategies proposed so far fail to satisfy the Z condition, although they
provide several important lessons to be followed by any new proposal. Here, we develop a new solution of the SGP. It is called
praxical in order to stress the key role played by the interactions between the agents and their environment. It is based on a new
theory of meaning—
Action-based Semantics (AbS)—and on a new kind of artificial agents, called
two-machine artificial agents (AM²). Thanks to their architecture, AM
2s implement AbS, and this allows them to ground their symbols semantically and to develop some fairly advanced semantic abilities,
including the development of semantically grounded communication and the elaboration of representations, while still respecting
the Z condition.
Keywords Action-based semantics - Artificial evolution - Communication - Hebb’s rule - Local selection - Symbol Grounding Problem - Two-machine artificial agents - Zero semantic commitment condition