Definition · foundations
goal-directedness
goal-directedness is the term for How well a system keeps its choices aimed at a stated result. You can spot goal-directedness in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does goal-directedness matter?
A system may be active without staying aimed at the requested result. Goal checks keep local steps from replacing the real task. For goal-directedness, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does goal-directedness look like?
A procurement agent rejects a cheaper item because it fails the required safety specification. This example makes goal-directedness visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is goal-directedness easy to confuse with?
Goal-directedness measures alignment of choices to a result. Agency is the power to make those choices. The closest entries here are generality, graph of thoughts, AI agent. Compare their definitions with goal-directedness before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps goal-directedness separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term goal-directedness?
We have not verified who first introduced goal-directedness. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before goal-directedness?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when goal-directedness depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use goal-directedness to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of goal-directedness?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of goal-directedness. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to goal-directedness; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundgoal-directednessChecked 2026-07-12→