Reactive robots and amnesics: a comparative study in memoryless behavior

Reactive robot behavior has been claimed as a model of memoryless intelligence. Using results highlighting the cyclic conflicts in such systems, we throw light on similar phenomena in biology such as human amnesic behavior. We present a formal characterization of cycles in the temporal sequence of memoryless behaviors and show that attempts to eliminate cycles result in less powerful behavior systems. Conversely, more powerful behavior systems are more likely to exhibit cyclicity. Such systems can be viable in performing simple tasks only by using the world as an external memory. Our results also provide useful insights into a better design of strategies for the treatment of amnesics