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AIList Digest Volume 2 Issue 072
AIList Digest Sunday, 10 Jun 1984 Volume 2 : Issue 72
Today's Topics:
Linguistics - Name Grammar Request,
Planning - Multi-Agents and Complex World Models,
Courses - Expert Systems,
Perception & Philosophy - Cross-Time Identity,
Scientific Method - Mathematics,
Logic - Logic and AI at U. Maryland,
AI Societies & Periodicals - Canadian AI Newsletter
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed 6 Jun 84 08:10:26-PDT
From: TEX82@SRI-AI.ARPA
Subject: Names
BibTeX, LaTeX's bibliography lookup program, needs:
* a grammar of author names--that is, a BNF specification of
the components of a name, and
* a specification of how to print a name, in various styles, given
its parse tree.
Possible style choices for names include last name first or last and,
perhaps, complete first/middle names or initials.
The rules should handle almost all cases encountered in technical
literature, including 'Brinch Hansen, Per' and 'Jean-Pierre van der
Waerden, Jr.' but need not cover cases like 'John Thompson, Earl of
Rumford'. The grammar need not be logically complete; for example, it
would be all right to consider 'Colonel' to be the first name of
'Colonel John Blimp', if that produces the correct printed version.
Please contact me if you know of anything like this.
Leslie Lamport
[Please forward this to anyone who might have an answer. Leslie has
been doing a great job building the LaTeX friendly user interface to
TeX, and a great many of us can benefit from any increased functionality
he can develop for the bibliography preprocessor. -- KIL]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 84 20:41 EDT
From: THE DESK (terminal)OF <Gangel%upenn.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>
Subject: multi-agents and complex world models
There are many planning systems using multi-agents and temporal
constraints. But the domains for most of these systems are limited
to only a very simplistic world model. The system we are working on
involves a complex graphic display of the inside of NASA's space lab
(within the space shuttle). There are many complex objects and
multi-agents to contend with to provide a true simulation of even a
simple command.
Hendrix's model shows an interesting world model for a simple
scenario, but without a sophisticated planner. There must be further
research in such "robot-like" worlds and if so, I would greatly
appreciate any pointers toward articles/papers/books dealing with
such complex world models and planning systems.
Thank you,
Jeffrey S. Gangel
[ Gangel%upenn.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa ]
Dept. of Computer and Information Science
Moore School
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104
------------------------------
Date: 7 Jun 84 10:32:19 PDT (Thursday)
From: Isdale.es@XEROX.ARPA
Subject: Course using *Building Expert Systems* (Hayes-Roth,Waterman,Lenat)
In response to a request for information on courses using the
text *Building Expert Systems* by R. Hayes-Roth, D. Waterman, and D.
Lenat (Addison Wesley, 1983):
UCLA Extension Offered such a class this past spring: Developing Expert
Systems. Instructor: Dr. Douglas R. Partridge (works for one of the
defense/aerospace contractors in the LA area.)
The course was taught as a lecture-seminar w/demonstrations & code
walkthroughs.
Both LISP and PROLOG methods were discussed. A major portion of the
grading depended on a term project. The class was expanded from a
seminar given by Dr. Partridge for the Technology Transfer Society.
The prospectus I have is 3pg and too long for the digest. I will forward
it on request but suggest calling the extension at (213) 825-3985 for
more up-to-date information.
J.B. Isdale
(Isdale.es@XEROX.ARPA)
------------------------------
Date: 6 Jun 84 6:00:08-PDT (Wed)
From: hplabs!hao!seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel @
Ucb-Vax.arpa
Subject: Watch out for that tree
Article-I.D.: gloria.220
It's the computer's own fault for using human-range vision. Infra-red
would have revealed the cardboard tree. "Take these broken wings ... "
Col. G. L. Sicherman
...seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel
------------------------------
Date: 6 Jun 84 6:07:27-PDT (Wed)
From: hplabs!hao!seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel @
Ucb-Vax.arpa
Subject: Re: cross-time identity.
Article-I.D.: gloria.221
This problem also arises in databases. How do you find out whether the
Joe Szmoe in your tax database is the same as the Joe Szmoe in your
welfare database? SSNs don't count - he may have several.
The problem is even worse when you pass from Artificial Intelligence
to Military Intelligence. You may know nothing for certain about
enemy spies, and can only suspect that two spies are identical.
Col. G. L. Sicherman
...seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 84 9:47:53 EDT
From: Stephen Wolff <steve@Brl-Bmd.ARPA>
Subject: Mathematical Methods
Not at all deep; maybe others will find our gropings briefly amusing .....
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 84 11:19:30 EDT
From: Brint <abc@BRL-TGR.ARPA>
"The usual attitude of mathematicians is reflected in their published
research papers and in mathematics textbooks. Proofs are revamped and
polished until all trace of how they were discovered is completely
hidden. The reader is left to assume that the proof came to the originator
in a blinding flash, since it contains steps which no one could possibly
have guessed would succeed. The painstaking process of trial and error,
revision and adjustment are all invisible."
Alan Bundy
From: Stephen Wolff <steve@BRL-BMD.ARPA>
I have the greatest respect for Alan Bundy, and I agree with his words. I
shall however adamantly disagree with his (or anyone's) implication that
"The painstaking process of trial and error, revision and adjustment....."
should NOT be invisible -- in a MATHEMATICS paper. The purpose of such a
paper MUST be FIRST to advance knowledge; proofs MUST be as spare, concise
and lucid as it is within the author's talent to make them -- for sloppy or
wordy proofs are just that much harder to verify. And, indeed, the paper is
diminished to PRECISELY the extent that the author's trials and fumbles are
displayed -- for they may prejudice the world-view of a reader and lead him
to the same (POSSIBLY erroneous) result.
If you say that there are too few (maybe no) places to publish mathematicians'
thought processes, methods of hypothesis, &c., then I shall agree. And,
further, state my belief that UNTIL we are able to read how both successful
and unsuccessful mathematicians derive the objects of their study, then all
successful efforts at automated reasoning will be just blind beginners' luck.
From: Paul Broome <broome@BRL-TGR.ARPA>
Bundy was not implying that the dead end paths in the search for a proof
should be in the paper that publishes the proof. Just before the portion
that Brint quoted, he discussed Polya's books, "How to Solve It" and
"Mathematical Discovery" and introduced the paragraph containing the
aforementioned quote with, "Polya's attitude in trying to understand the
'mysterious' aspects of problem solving is all too rare." His next
paragraph begins with "The only attempt, of which I am aware, to explain
the process by which a proof was constructed, is B.L. van der Waerden's
paper, 'How the proof of Baudet's conjecture was found', .."
He's giving motivation for a book on the modeling of mathematical reasoning.
From: Brint <abc@BRL-TGR.ARPA>
Perhaps, as in so many endeavors, several bright people actually
agree:
1. Mathematics papers are not the place for discussing
trial_and_error, inspirational flashes, false starts, and other
means for "discovering" truth and error.
2. Forums are needed for the discussion of such ideas in
order to advance our understanding of the process at least toward
the end of improving mathematical reasoning by computer.
3. In some limited way, such forums exist. We need to
encourage and motivate our mathematicians to contribute to them.
Brint
------------------------------
Date: 8 Jun 84 16:57:32 EDT (Fri)
From: JACK MINKER <minker@umcp-cs.arpa>
Subject: LOGIC and its ROLE in AI
SPECIAL YEAR
IN
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
AND
THEORETICAL COMPUTER SCIENCE
Each year the Mathematics Department of the University
of Maryland devotes its attention to a special topic. In
conjunction with the Department of Computer Science, the
1984-1985 academic year will be devoted to the topic of
mathematical logic and theoretical computer science. The
year will consist of eight sessions devoted to particular
areas. The time-table that has evolved is given below.
As will be noted, the week of October 22-26, 1984, will
be devoted to issues in LOGIC and its ROLE in ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE with emphasis on knowledge representation, com-
mon sense reasoning, non-monotonic reasoning and logic pro-
gramming.
The lectures will be open to the public. The precise
times and dates of the lectures for the AI week will be
announced in the next few months.
We anticipate that there will be modest financial sup-
port presumably for graduate students and junior faculty.
Applications for support for the week of October 22-26 to be
devoted to LOGIC and its ROLE in ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
should be sent to:
Dr. Jack Minker
Department of Computer Science
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
20742
minker@umcp-cs
(301) 454-6119
Kindly send a letter including a vitae, a statement as to
the importance of these issues to your research, the number
of days you might like to attend, and the amount of support
that you might require. We emphasize that we do not know if
we will have funds and even assuming they are available,
they will be modest at best. You should also notify the
above by sending a message over the net expressing your
interest in attending the open sessions.
Those who plan to come, but require no financial sup-
port should also inform us of your intentions so that we may
arrange for an appropriate size lecture hall.
Those individuals interested in other topics associated
with this Math Year should contact:
Dr. E.G.K. Lopez - Escobar
Department of Mathematics
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
20742
egkle@umcp-cs
(301) 454-3759
and provide the same information as above.
TIME SCHEDULE
AND
LECTURERS
October 1-5, 1984. Semantics and Logics of Programs.
Participants: S. Brookes, D. Kozen, A. Meyer, M. O'Donnell,
R. Statman
October 8-12, 1984. Recursion Theory.
Participants: R. Book, J. Case, R. Daley, D. Leivant, J. Myhill,
A. Selman, P. Young
**October 22-26, 1984. LOGIC and its ROLE in ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Participants: J. Barwise, M. van Emden, L. Henschen, J. McCarthy,
R. Reiter
December 3-7, 1984. Model Theory and Algebra.
Participants: A. Macintyre, A. Mekler, C. Wood
March 4-8, 1985. Automath and Automating Natural Deduction.
Participants: N.G. DeBruijn, J. Zucker
March 11-15, 1985. Stability theory.
Participants: J. Baldwin, S. Buechler, A. Pillay, C. Steinhorn
April 22-26, 1985. Toposes and Model Theory.
Participants: A. Joyal, F. Lawvere, I. Moerdijk, G. Reyes,
A. Scendrov
April 29-May 3,1985. Toposes and Proof Theory.
Participants: M. Bunge, P. Freyd, M. Makkai, D. Scott, P. Scott
------------------------------
Date: 5 Jun 84 9:00:08-PDT (Tue)
From: ihnp4!alberta!sask!utcsrgv!utai!gh @ Ucb-Vax.arpa
Subject: Canadian A.I. Newsletter -- Call for submissions
Article-I.D.: utai.187
====================
Call for submissions
====================
CANADIAN
A R T I F I C I A L I N T E L L I G E N C E
NEWSLETTER
(Published by CSCSI/SCEIO)
The Canadian A.I. Newsletter invites submissions from Canada, the U.S., and the
rest of the world of any item relevant to artificial intelligence:
-- Articles of general interest.
-- Abstracts of recent publications, theses, and technical reports.
-- Descriptions of current research and courses at a given institution.
-- Reports of recent conferences, workshops and the like.
-- Announcements of forthcoming conferences and other activities.
-- Calls for papers.
-- Book reviews (and books for review).
-- Announcements of new A.I. companies and products.
-- Opinions, counterpoints, polemic, and controversy.
-- Humour, cartoons, artwork.
-- Advertisements (rates upon request).
-- Anything else concerned with A.I.
Please send submissions, either physical or electronic, to the editor:
Graeme Hirst
Department of Computer Science
University of Toronto
Toronto, CANADA M5S 1A4
Phone: 416-978-6277/6025
CSNET: cscsi@toronto ARPANET: cscsi.toronto@csnet-relay
UUCP: utcsrgv!cscsi (connections to allegra, cornell, decvax, decwrl,
deepthot, drea, floyd, garfield, hcr, ihnp4, linus, mbcsd,
mcgill-vision, musocs, qucis, sask, ubc-vision, utzoo, uw-beaver,
watmath, and many other sites)
------------------------
The Canadian A.I. Newsletter is sent to all members of CSCSI/SCEIO, the
Canadian artificial intelligence society. To join, write to CIPS (which
administers membership matters for the society) with the appropriate fee and a
covering note. You need not be Canadian to be a member.
CIPS
243 College Street, 5th floor
Toronto, CANADA M5T 2Y1
Membership: $10 regular, $5 students (Canadian funds); there is a discount of
$2 for CIPS members. Payment may be made in U.S. dollars at the current rate
of exchange.
------------------------------
End of AIList Digest
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