The importance of diversity in reasoning and learning to successfully address complex problems is examined. We discuss an approach by which a multiagent framework with decentralized control mechanisms provides diverse perspectives and hypotheses addressing a class of complex problems. We introduce the SNARE multiagent system. SNARE performs tasks to gain situational awareness of situations of interest in a Social Media Space. It applies a decentralized control mechanism for each agent; this mechanism enables an agent to interact with other agents to reason and learn. This approach facilitates dynamic agent organizations that adapt the topologies of interactions between agents based on the problem context.

This article seizes an opportune time to honor Marvin and his contributions and influence in artificial intelligence, science, and beyond. The article provides readers with some personal insights of Minsky from Danny Hillis, John McCarthy, Tom Mitchell, Erik Mueller, Doug Riecken, Aaron Sloman, and Patrick Henry Winston -- all members of the AI community that Minsky helped to found. The article continues with a brief resume of Minsky's research, which spans an enormous range of fields. It concludes with a short biographical account of Minsky's personal history.

Marvin Lee Minsky, a founder of the field of artificial intelligence and professor at MIT, celebrated his 80th birthday on August 9, 2007. This article seizes an opportune time to honor Marvin and his contributions and influence in artificial intelligence, science, and beyond. The article provides readers with some personal insights of Minsky from Danny Hillis, John McCarthy, Tom Mitchell, Erik Mueller, Doug Riecken, Aaron Sloman, and Patrick Henry Winston -- all members of the AI community that Minsky helped to found. The article continues with a brief resume of Minsky's research, which spans an enormous range of fields. It concludes with a short biographical account of Minsky's personal history.