Proto-Cognitive Bases of Agency

We present the idea that causal relations between system and environment can be explored through the lens of proto-cognitive properties. Basically, I propose that the notions of under-determination and self-determination can be attributed to autonomous dynamics, and that these may be measured through information metrics in the discrete case. After revising relevant theoretical concepts, I introduce some mathematical formulations in an attempt to capture these notions more formally. Then, I illustrate these ideas and exemplify the used of the formulations through a toy-experiment in the Game of Life (GoL) cellular automaton.