Context-Adaptable Trigger: Representation of Higher-Order Behavior

• Jitaek Lim,
• Chihoon Song,

Vol. 20, No. 3, March 31, 2026
10.3837/tiis.2026.03.014, Download Paper (Free):

• CATrigger
• Event-condition-action rule
• Higher-order behavior
• Meta-rule
• Self-modifiability

Abstract

The development of intelligent systems capable of human-like representation remains a central challenge, as current adaptation models, like connectionism, often fail to produce robust symbolic structures. This highlights a gap in understanding how intelligent systems transition from handling simple states (known knowns) to representing complex, evolving contexts, particularly those involving known unknowns and unknown un-knowns. This paper introduces Context-adaptable Triggers (CATrigger), a novel rule language designed to address this challenge. CATrigger extends traditional event-condition-action rules by incorporating meta-rules—rules that can modify other rules. This mechanism provides a framework for higher-order behavior, enabling the system to self-modify its own rule base in response to context changes, thereby managing the transitions between different knowledge states. We formally define the syntax and semantics of this language. Through detailed examples and the presentation of a prototype system architecture, we demonstrate CATrigger's capability to effectively represent and adapt to new information, autonomously modifying its behavior as contexts evolve. CATrigger provides a new computational tool for investigating the link between adaptation and representation, offering a path toward designing intelligent systems with more genuine, human-like contextual adaptability.

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