APPLICATIONS OF ABDUCTION - KNOWLEDGE-LEVEL MODELING

A single inference procedure (abduction) can operationalise a wide var iety of knowledge-level modelling problem solving methods; i.e. predic tion, classification, explanation, tutoring, qualitative reasoning, pl anning, monitoring, set-covering diagnosis, consistency-based diagnosi s, validation, and verification. This abductive approach offers a unif orm view of different problem solving methods in the style proposed by Clancey and Breuker. Also, this adbuctive approach is easily extensib le to validation; i.e. using this technique we can implement both infe rence tools and testing tools. Further, abduction can execute in vague and conflicting domains (which we believe occur very frequently). We therefore propose abduction as a framework for knowledge-level modelli ng. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited