agentdependent

Agentdependent, also written agent-dependent or agent dependent, is an adjective used in philosophy, cognitive science, economics, and computer science to describe properties, effects, or outcomes that hinge on an agent's actions, dispositions, or state. The term emphasizes the role of an agent as a cause or mediator rather than the environment alone. It is used across disciplines with nuanced meanings, but generally signals that agency is essential to the phenomenon being described.

In philosophy and ethics, agent-dependent facts are those whose truth conditions depend on the agent's decisions, beliefs, or values. Moral praise or blame is often described as agent-dependent, since changing the agent's mental states could alter the moral assessment of an action. Similarly, responsibility for consequences may be considered agent-dependent when alternative actions by the agent would have prevented them.

In artificial intelligence and agent-based modeling, outcomes are agent-dependent because they emerge from the behaviors, goals, and interactions of autonomous agents. The design of agent rules and capabilities determines the aggregate dynamics and predictions of the system.

In psychology and cognitive science, agent-dependent processes refer to cognitive effects that arise from the agent's preferences, prior experiences, and goals, rather than purely external stimuli. This distinction helps separate internal decision processes from stimulus-driven responses.

Compared with agent-independent or environment-dependent phenomena, agent-dependent effects require the presence and activity of an agent. The term thus serves as a general descriptor across disciplines to mark dependence on agency.

See also: agent-based modeling, moral responsibility, agency in philosophy.