AID TO DISCOVERY IN MEDICINE USING FORMAL INDUCTION TECHNIQUES

This article presents a particular approach to the subfield of artific ial intelligence referred to as ''aid to scientific discovery.'' The p rogress made in formal induction techniques suggests that the acquisit ion and discovery of knowledge may be considered as a refinement cycle in which the computer can play a central role. Some of the perspectiv es and the main difficulties are illustrated with a study done on the discovery of the causes of scurvy, and some links are made to the conc ept of scientific dogmas.