Probabilistic Logic Networks

This comprehensive book describes Probabilistic Logic Networks (PLN), a novel conceptual, mathematical and computational approach to uncertain inference. A broad scope of reasoning types are considered.

Abstract In this chapter we provide an overview of probabilistic logic networks (PLN), including our motivations for developing PLN and the guiding principles underlying PLN. We discuss foundational choices we made, introduce PLN knowledge representation, and briefly introduce inference rules and truth-values. We also place PLN in context with other approaches to uncertain inference. 1.1 Motivations This book presents Probabilistic Logic Networks (PLN), a systematic and pragmatic framework for computationally carrying out uncertain reasoning r- soning about uncertain data, and/or reasoning involving uncertain conclusions. We begin with a few comments about why we believe this is such an interesting and important domain of investigation. First of all, we hold to a philosophical perspective in which reasoning properly understood plays a central role in cognitive activity. We realize that other perspectives exist; in particular, logical reasoning is sometimes construed as a special kind of cognition that humans carry out only occasionally, as a deviation from their usual (intuitive, emotional, pragmatic, sensorimotor, etc.) modes of thought. However, we consider this alternative view to be valid only according to a very limited definition of logic. Construed properly, we suggest, logical reasoning may be understood as the basic framework underlying all forms of cognition, including those conventionally thought of as illogical and irrational.

Provides a comprehensive framework for uncertain reasoning, integrating probability theory, predicate and term logic, and pattern theory Considers a broad scope of reasoning types Fuses rigorous mathematics with practical computation to describe methods designed for large-scale and, in many cases, real-time inference within commercial software systems

Inhalt
Knowledge Representation.- Experiential Semantics.- Indefinite Truth Values.- First-Order Extensional Inference: Rules and Strength Formulas.- First-Order Extensional Inference with Indefinite Truth Values.- First-Order Extensional Inference with Distributional Truth Values.- Error Magnification in Inference Formulas.- Large-Scale Inference Strategies.- Higher-Order Extensional Inference.- Handling Crisp and Fuzzy Quantifiers with Indefinite Truth Values.- Intensional Inference.- Aspects of Inference Control.- Temporal and Causal Inference.