*3.1. Basic MAS Philosophy*

Multi-agent systems are comprised of autonomously-operating agents and the environment in which they are located. The goal of the systems is to solve complex problems through specializations and division of labor. Well-known examples from biology are bee swarms and ant colonies. In these collectives, a clear differentiation takes place between the individual member groups. In the MAS, an agent can be defined as a "[. . . ] separable and definable software unit, that interacts flexibly and autonomously with its environment and other agents, so as to achieve the predefined goals of the user or developer, ultimately adhering to his interests." (translated from [20], see also [21]).
