Promise Theory
Principles and Applications
Promise Theory bridges the worlds of semantics and dynamics to describe interactions between autonomous agencies within a system. It provides a semi-formal language for modelling intent and its outcome, which results in a chemistry for cooperative behaviour.
Written in collaboration with Jan A. Bergstra.
This book is free to download, or buy in a more convenient and attractive format for a nominal price. Order a copy or Download PDF
"Promise Theory offers a methodology for generating certainty on top
of uncertain foundations. This book presents the formal foundations of
Promise Theory. It lays out the formalisms in a clear, concise,
understandable way that makes them accessible to
non-mathematicians. If you want to fully understand the conceptual
mechanisms that underlie the distributed systems that make up today's
"cloud services", you should start with this book."
-- Jeff Sussna, Author of Designing Delivery
"Mark Burgess brings the rigor of theoretical physics to the science
of cooperation. The application of this kind of rigor to the social
sciences is a tremendous leap forward. His pioneering work on
developing an algebra of cooperation is an idea whose time has come.
A promise is not a guarantee. That said: I promise you that
examining this book will stimulate your thinking about cooperation and
collaboration at scale. This book covers a lot of ground: promises,
impositions, invitations, games, and the peculiar dynamics of
authority and authorization. Those looking for a book that applies the
lessons of distributed computing to the new and emerging science of
cooperation will find what they are looking for here. "
-- Daniel Mezick, Author of The Culture Game and Inviting Leadership
Distributed cooperation from autonomy
This book is aimed at scientists and engineers. It introduces readers
to promises in a practical manner, keeping within the paradi gm of
`voluntary cooperation'. The book draws on examples from the real
world, with a special emphasis on computers and information systems.
Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Promise Theory, A Tool for System Specification, Talk by J.A. Bergstra (Prague 2018)
- Promise Theory as a Tool for Informaticians, by J.A. Bergstra