CfPart: Modal Logics and Description Logics - MSc distance learning course

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                      University of Manchester

               MSc distance learning course/module on
                MODAL LOGICS AND DESCRIPTION LOGICS


              Registration Deadline: 20 February 2015
http://www.cs.manchester.ac.uk/study/professional-development/study-options/distance-learning/atcs/course-modules/comp71130/


SUMMARY
  For many applications, specific domain knowledge is required.
  Instead of coding such knowledge into a specific system in a way
  that it can never be changed (hidden in the overall implementation),
  different logic-based formalisms for representing different kinds of
  knowledge have been developed in the last 50 years. They differ in
  what kind of statements one can make using them, in what kind of
  conclusions can be drawn from them, and how computationally costly
  this drawing of conclusions is.

  In this module, we discuss some of these approaches, namely
  modal logics and description logics. Description logics are mainly
  designed to represent and reason about the terminology of an
  application domain and form the logical underpinning of the Semantic
  Web ontology language OWL.  Modal logics can be used to represent
  and reason about the behaviour of systems, for example agent based
  systems. For both logics, automated reasoning tools have been
  developed to answer queries about the knowledge representation
  explicitly. This can be used, for example, to ensure the quality of
  a knowledge base or access data in a flexible, intelligent way.

  This module provides an introduction to various modal and
  description logics, how to formalise knowledge and questions about
  this knowledge in these logics, different approaches to automated
  reasoning for these logics, and the relationship between these
  logics and first-order logic.

  The module aims to provide students with:

    * an understanding of
        - different kinds of knowledge and the logics developed to
          represent this kind of knowledge
        - syntax and semantics of various logics and standard
          reasoning problems
        - different techniques for automated reasoning for these logics
        - the relationship between modal, description, and first-order
          logic.
    * the ability to formalise knowledge within these logics, to
      translate between these logics, and to apply the reasoning
      techniques to solve standard reasoning problem, and
    * the ability to use various automated reasoning tools to reason
      about knowledge represented in these logics.

PRE-REQUISITES
  An understanding of the basic notions of discrete mathematics (sets,
  operations on sets (intersection, union, ...), relations and their
  properties (being transitive, symmetric, etc), functions, graphs,
  etc) is required. It would be helpful if you had some knowledge of
  Boolean logic (aka propositional logic) or first order logic (aka
  predicate logic), but is not a requirement. Almost any
  introductory level textbook on Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge
  Representation, Logic, Foundations of Computer Science provides an
  introduction to both.

  This module is entirely web-based, so a reliable internet connection
  is essential.

MORE INFORMATION
  A detailed module outline, learning outcomes, assessment information
  is available from the module website.

REGISTRATION
  To register please send an email to emma.flynn@manchester.ac.uk<mailto:emma.flynn@manchester.ac.uk>.
  Please address any questions also to this address.

  The fee for modules for the 2014/15 academic year is 1275 GBP.

IMPORTANT DATES & INFORMATION
  Registration deadline:   20 February 2015
  Course Start Date:       Week of 23 February 2015
  Duration:                16 weeks
  Required Time per Week:  8-10 hours

COURSE TEACHERS
  Uli Sattler
  Renate Schmidt