Armando Soto, Trace-Sourced Motivational Dynamics Theory (TSMDT) - PhilArchive
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A bold new theory argues motivation isn't something added to minds or machines — it emerges from the traces systems leave on their environment, flipping how we think about agency.
Trace-Sourced Motivational Dynamics TheoryEmbodied CognitionEmergenceAgency Theory
Theory Briefing
- TSMDT proposes motivation is not a built-in property but an emergent dynamic arising from environmental traces left by a system.
- The theory unifies biological, cognitive, and artificial systems under one motivational framework, challenging classical drive-reduction and goal-directed models.
- By grounding agency in trace interactions rather than internal states, TSMDT has radical implications for AI design and theories of mind.