Definition
Agency
Agency is the degree of competency a system has in navigating a specific space to achieve a goal. It does not require a brain. It only requires a control loop capable of minimising error.
Agency is not freedom from physics, but the ability to hold counterfactual state in memory and perform work to minimise the difference.
Examples
Zero Agency
If you put a rock in its path, it stops or deflects. It has no goal, it only follows immediate physical laws.
Low Agency
If you open a window (disruption), a thermostat works harder to restore the temperature (goal). It has a tiny bit of agency.
High Agency
If you cut of a newt’s leg (severe disruption), the cell cooperates to rebuild the exact anatomical shape of the leg (goal) and then stop.
Very High Agency
If you (a human) lose your job, you don’t just sit there. You restrain, move cities, or start a business to reach the goal of financial stability.