Robert Kowalski

Computational Logic and Human Thinking

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

The practical benefits of computational logic need not be limited to mathematics and computing. As this book shows, ordinary people in their everyday lives can profit from the recent advances that have been developed for artificial intelligence. The book draws upon related developments in various fields from philosophy to psychology and law. It pays special attention to the integration of logic with decision theory, and the use of logic to improve the clarity and coherence of communication in natural languages such as English. This book is essential reading for teachers and researchers who may be out of touch with the latest developments in computational logic. It will also be useful in any undergraduate course that teaches practical thinking, problem solving or communication skills. Its informal presentation makes the book accessible to readers from any background, but optional, more formal, chapters are also included for those who are more technically oriented. Robert Kowalski demonstrates how ordinary people in their everyday life can profit from the advances of computational logic that have been developed for artificial intelligence. This book is an eye-opening read for any student who employs practical thinking, problem solving and communication skills.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Cambridge University Press
• Seitenzahl: 334
• Erscheinungstermin: 21. Juli 2011
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 229mm x 152mm x 18mm
• Gewicht: 530g
• ISBN-13: 9780521123365
• ISBN-10: 0521123364
• Artikelnr.: 33152773

Autorenporträt

Robert Kowalski is Emeritus Professor and Research Investigator in the Department of Computing at Imperial College London. He recently received the IJCAI 2011 Award for Research Excellence for his contributions to logic for knowledge representation and problem solving, including his pioneering work on automated theorem proving and logic programming.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface; Summary and plan of the book; 1. Logic on the Underground; 2. The psychology of logic; 3. The fox and the crow; 4. Search; 5. Negation as failure; 6. How to become a British citizen; 7. The louse and the Mars explorer; 8. Maintenance goals as the driving force of life; 9. The meaning of life; 10. Abduction; 11. The prisoner's dilemma; 12. Motivations matter; 13. The changing world; 14. Logic and objects; 15. Biconditionals; 16. Computational logic and the selection task; 17. Meta-logic; Conclusions of the book; References; Index.

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Preface
Summary and plan of the book
1. Logic on the Underground
2. The psychology of logic
3. The fox and the crow
4. Search
5. Negation as failure
6. How to become a British citizen
7. The louse and the Mars explorer
8. Maintenance goals as the driving force of life
9. The meaning of life
10. Abduction
11. The prisoner's dilemma
12. Motivations matter
13. The changing world
14. Logic and objects
15. Biconditionals
16. Computational logic and the selection task
17. Meta-logic
Conclusions of the book
References
Index.

Rezensionen

'[This book] is a superb introduction both to AI from within a computational logic framework and to its application to human rationality and reasoning. Nothing else comes close. Kowalski writes with philosophical insight and just the right level of technical expertise. He puts the excitement back in AI. This sets [this book] apart from the technically overwhelming, and all too often largely unintuitive and uninspiring, encyclopedic introductions that currently dominate the field.' Thomas A. Blackson, Arizona State University