Abstract:

Many open computing systems, for example grid and cloud computing, and ad hoc networks, such as sensor or vehicular networks, face a similar problem: how to collectivise resources, and distribute them fairly, in the absence of a centralized component. In this talk, we apply the methodology of sociologically-inspired computing, in which the study of human (social) models are formalised as the basis of engineering solutions to technical problems.

In this case, we present formal models of Ostrom's design principles for self-governing institutions and Rescher's theory of distributive justice, for defining executable specifications of electronic institutions which support fair and sustainable resource allocation. This work has opened up a programme of research called computational justice: capturing some notions of `correctness' in the outcomes of algorithmic decision-making. However there are various different 'aspects' of justice, and some of these -- natural, distributive, retributive, procedural and interactional are discussed in the context of supporting self-governance for self-organising multi-agent systems.