Re: random thoughts on web logic

In general I have a tough time with proposals that require the use of
mechanisms such as the ones that Pat is proposing.  I have a hard enough
time trying to figure out monotonic, certain representations without adding
certainty factors, probabilities, etc., etc., even for small examples.  
For large examples, with many objects, assertions, classes, knowers, etc.,
the situation becomes, to me, hopelessly complex.   

Of course, it is possible that someone will present a logic that makes it
easy (easier?) to perform this kind of representation.  But without such a
logic, and I mean a full logic, including semantics, deduction, and
algorithms, I don't see how one could in good faith propose these
mechanisms as a vehicle for representing information that will be acted on
by agents that do not have the level of ``common sense'' that we ascribe to
human beings.

Peter Patel-Schneider

Received on Tuesday, 26 September 2000 11:02:02 UTC