A General Framework for the Representation of Function and Affordance: A Cognitive, Causal, and Grounded Approach, and a Step Toward AGI

In AI research, so far, the attention paid to the characterization and representation of function and affordance has been sporadic and sparse, even though this aspect features prominently in an intelligent system's functioning. In the sporadic and sparse, though commendable efforts so far devoted to the characterization and understanding of function and affordance, there has also been no general framework that could unify all the different use domains and situations related to the representation and application of functional concepts. This paper develops just such a general framework, with an approach that emphasizes the fact that the representations involved must be explicitly cognitive and conceptual, and they must also contain causal characterizations of the events and processes involved, as well as employ conceptual constructs that are grounded in the referents to which they refer, in order to achieve maximal generality. The basic general framework is described, along with a set of basic guiding principles with regards to the representation of functionality. To properly and adequately characterize and represent functionality, a descriptive representation language is needed. This language is defined and developed, and many examples of its use are described. The general framework is developed based on an extension of the general language meaning representational framework called conceptual dependency. To support the general characterization and representation of functionality, the basic conceptual dependency framework is enhanced with representational devices called structure anchor and conceptual dependency elaboration, together with the definition of a set of ground level concepts. These novel representational constructs are defined, developed, and described. A general framework dealing with functionality would represent a major step toward achieving Artificial General Intelligence.