Towards a Computational Theory of Action, Causation and Power for Normative Reasoning

In order to effectively implement guidance structures in a computational social system, directives which are specified in general terms of duties and rights need to be transformed in terms of powers and liabilities attributed to social parties. The present paper is a work in progress report on an axiomatization of power structures in a logic programming setting, covering the intentional level in specifying actions, the connection between productive characterization of actions and causation, the default nature of action specifications, failures and omissions, the relations of causation and power, and the concept of interfering actions.