Theoretical Approaches to Non-Numerical Problem Solving: Proceedings of the IV Systems Symposium at Case Western Reserve University

ISBN-13: 9783540049005 / Angielski / Miękka / 1970 / 471 str.

R.B. Banerji;M. D. Mesarovic

Opis

Advances in computer technology have pointed out the next important area of computer applications: solution of non-numerical problems. It is hardly necessary to emphasize the importance of these kind of problems. First of all most of the decisions one has to make in real-life situations are non-numerical in the first instance and can be represented as numerical problems only as approximations which are often only partially valid. Second, to use the computer to its full potential it should be employed as a logical machine, capable of deduction, and not just as a numerical calculating machine. Thus the computer would extend man's capability for logical reasoning and not just for his capability to do fast and accurate calculation. It is not a new area; indeed non-numerical problems are central in fields such as artificial intelligence, heuristic programming, pattern recognition, classification and information-processing (and retrival) etc. However, it is fair to assess that progress in the area has not been quite as expected. One of the reasons was a lack of conceptual and theoretical framework in which to investigate different classes of non-numerical problems to improve understanding of various types of problems and methods for their solutions and furthermore to enable the methods which have been proven as effective in one situation to be used in another situation with appropriately similar structure.

Spis treści

I: Overviews.- An Overview of Mechanical Theorem Proving.- Game Playing Programs: An Approach and An Overview.- GPS and Decision Making: An Overview.- Natural Language Question Answering Systems: 1969.- II: Problems in Foundations.- The Role of Weltanschauung in Problem Solving and Inquiry.- Remarks on Mathematics and Computers.- Systems Theoretic Approach to Formal Theory of Problem Solving.- On the Representation of Problems and Goal-Directed Procedures for Computers.- III: Current Research.- Heuristic Search Programs.- Dynamic Programming and Problem-Solving.- Computer Programs Can Be Proved Correct.- A Computer-Assisted Study of GO on M × N Boards.- Stating Problems as Procedures to a General Problem Solving Program.- IV: New Applications.- Remarks on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Psychology.- A Heuristic Program for Solving Scientific Inference Problem: Summary of Motivation and Implementation.- Heuristic Techniques for Solving Large Combinatorial Problems on a Computer.- Help Stamp Out Programming.- The Relevance of Robot Research to Artificial Intelligence.