B. van Linder

Papers

Total Citations

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About

B. van Linder is a foundational figure in the formal philosophy of agency, whose work bridges logic, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science. His primary research areas include the logical formalisation of agent capabilities, epistemic reasoning, and the interplay between perception, action, and belief. Van Linder’s most influential contribution, "Formalising Abilities and Opportunities of Agents" (2002, 79 citations), provides a rigorous logical framework for distinguishing what an agent can do from what opportunities are available to them—a key distinction for multi-agent systems and planning. This work remains a cornerstone for researchers modelling autonomous agents. In his equally creative paper "Seeing is Believing and So are Hearing and Jumping" (2002, 20 citations), van Linder explores how sensory modalities and physical actions shape an agent’s knowledge and beliefs, offering a unified account of perception and action. Though his citation counts are modest, his ideas have had a lasting impact on the logical foundations of agency, influencing subsequent work in dynamic epistemic logic and agent-based modelling. Van Linder’s work is essential reading for anyone interested in the formal underpinnings of intelligent, situated agents.