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NL-KR Digest Volume 02 No. 38
NL-KR Digest (5/11/87 21:11:41) Volume 2 Number 38
Today's Topics:
Seminar - Reporting the Non-Monotonic News (BTL)
Speaking to a Computer (CMU)
thesis defense- A Formal Theory of Plan Recognition- Kautz
Colloquium - A Computational Model of Creative Writing
Conference - Literacy & Linguistics
4th International Conference on Logic Programming
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Date: Thu 23 Apr 1987 13:50:34
From: dlm.allegra%btl.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET
Subject: Seminar - Reporting the Non-Monotonic News (BTL)
May 7th 10:30 AM
AT&T Bell Laboratories - Murray Hill 1E-449
Reporting the Non-Monotonic News:
Keeping the Beat Local
Benjamin Grosof
Stanford University
"Non-monotonic" reasoning systems are ones in which some conclusions have a
default or retractable status. A prime motivation for such systems is to
build agents that revise their beliefs in response to news from their
environment. Efficient updating is problematic, however, because adding new
information in general may require the revision of many, or even all, previous
retractable conclusions. An understanding is needed of the "partial
monotonicities" of updating, i.e. of the irrelevance of updates to parts of
the previous retractable conclusions.
To define non-monotonic theories, we introduce a formalism based on McCarthy's
circumscription that directly expresses, as axioms, both default beliefs and
preferences among default beliefs. It has a strong semantics based on first-
and second-order logic. We characterize non-monotonic theories as
hierarchically decomposable in a manner more analogous to programming
languages than to ordinary monotonic logics. We then give a set of results
about partial monotonicities of updating. We discover some surprising
differences between updates consisting of default axioms and those consisting
of non-retractable axioms. These results bear on a wide variety of
applications of non-monotonic reasoning.
Sponsor: R.J.Brachman
------------------------------
Date: 5 May 1987 1002-EDT
From: Elaine Atkinson <EDA@C.CS.CMU.EDU>
Subject: Seminar - Speaking to a Computer (CMU)
SPEAKER: Alexander Hauptmann
TITLE: "Speaking to a Computer"
DATE: Tuesday, May 5
TIME: 12:00 - 1:20 p.m.
PLACE: Adamson Wing, Baker Hall
ABSTRACT:
This talk describes an empirical study of man-computer speech interaction. I
will describe the experiment, its goals and outline the experimental design
and the many results. The experiment shows that speech to a computer is not
as ill-formed as one would expect. People speaking to a computer are more
disciplined than when speaking to each other. There are large differences in
the usage of spoken language compared to typed language, and several phenomena
which are unique to spoken or typed input respectively. Usefulness for work
in speech understanding systems for the future is considered.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 May 87 14:05:33 EDT
From: patricia
Subject: thesis defense- A Formal Theory of Plan Recognition- Henry Kautz
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
University of Rochester
PRE-DISSERTATION DEFENSE
Friday, May 1, 1987
Dewey 166
10:15 am
Henry Alexander Kautz
"A Formal Theory of Plan Recognition"
Abstract
Research in discourse analysis, story understanding, and user modeling for
expert systems has shown great interest in plan recognition problems. In a
plan recognition problem, one is given a fragmented description of actions
performed by one or more agents, and expected to infer the overall plan or
scenario which explains those actions. My thesis develops the first formal
description of the plan recognition process. Beginning witha a reified logic
of events, the thesis presents a scheme for hierarchical ly structuring a
library of event types. A semantic basis for non-deductive inference, based
on minimal models, justifies the conclusions that one may draw from a set of
observed actions. An equivalent proof theory forms a preliminary basis for
mechanizing the theory. Finally, the thesis describes a number of recognition
algorithms which correctly implement the theory. The analysis provides a firm
theoretical foundation for much of what is loosely called "frame based
inference", and directly accounts for problems of ambiguity, abstraction, and
complex temporal interactions, which were ignored by previous work.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 5 May 87 10:49:58 EDT
From: tim@linc.cis.upenn.edu (Tim Finin)
Subject: Colloquium - A Computational Model of Creative Writing
CIS Colloquium
Computer and Information Science
University of Pennsylvania
A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL OF CREATIVE WRITING
Masoud Yazdani
Dept. of Computer Science
University of Exeter, UK
The overal aim of the project is to examine a computational model
model of creativity based on the process of meta-level inspection and
control of loosely controlled simulations. The test bed for this
study is the act of creative writing. Various proposals for
computational story writing are considered and one of them, TALE-SPIN,
is critically evaluated. A more comprehensive model for storywriting
is then presented to account for the shortcomings pointed out. The
model presented consists of five distinct processes of plot-making,
world-making, simulation, narration and text generation. These
processes are further expanded within a computational framework. A
computer program, ROALD, is described which attempts to produce
stories within this general framework. ROALD, although basically the
simulation part of the model, acts as a test bed for the more general
idea of controlled simulation. we also look at other areas (picture
making and machine learning) where related work is being carried out.
Our argument can be stated at three levels of generality:
1. That the core of the act of creative writing is simulation of life
2. That this simulation needs to be part of a model which provides
situations within which the simulations occur as well as providing
sources of constraints so that the results are consistant and
interesting.
3. That not only creative writing but other creative acts can be
be viewed as the process of a loosely controlled simulation with
metal-level validation and revision of the results.
Wednesday, May 13, 1987
Room 216
3:00 to 4:30
Refreshments Available
2:30 to 3:00
The Faculty Lounge
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 May 87 16:59:08 CDT
From: Mike Hammond <hammond@csd4.milw.wisc.edu>
Subject: Conference - Literacy & Linguistics
Here's more info on our upcoming conference on literacy
and linguistics. As mentioned in a previous nl-kr note, it
seems particularly appropos to the recent discussions about
written languages.
Mike Hammond
Preliminary Announcement:
LITERACY & LINGUISTICS
l7th Annual Linguistics Symposium April 8-9,l988
University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
We invite papers on any topic dealing with the intersection of LINGUISTICS and
the study of LITERACY and ORTHOGRAPHY. General topic areas include:
phonology, morphology, syntax, discourse, historical, first and second
language acquisition, sociolinguistics, pidgin and creole studies,
psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, orthographic studies, and language
pedagogy.
Issues that we would like to see addressed include -- but are not limited to
--the following:
l. syntactic, morphological, and phonological differences
between preliterate discourse and literate spoken and/or
written discourse
2. differences between spoken and written discourse in
literate cultures, especially those of comparable register
3. comparison of high and low register in literate and non
literate cultures
4. effects of literacy on the grammatical system (i.e. do
literary languages/ dialects have certain features (and
perhaps lack certain others) due to the demands of literate
discourse?)
5. extent to which orthography influences
phonological/morphological representations
6. the 'fit' between orthographic systems and the
phonological/morphological systems they're meant to model
7. the use of orthographic data in phonology/morphology and
historical linguistics
8. the role of literacy as aconservative and/or innovating
factor in language change
9. 'prescriptivism' as a product of literacy
l0. the effect of literacy in shaping first language
acquisition in the child
ll. the role of orthography in second language acquisition
l2. comparison of second language acquisition in a non-literate
setting and in a classroom setting where writing plays a
role in instruction.
l3. extent to which the discourse strategies of 'poor writers' in
high school and college composition programs reflect
non-literate discourse strategies (which in turn reflect a
non-literature world view (?))
l4. the relation between literacy and world view
l5. relation between language and literacy in language disorders
l6. metalinguistic awareness and literacy
17. evolution of orthographic systems
18. establishment of a standard/literary dialect
19. pidgins, pidginization and literacy
20. relationship between different kinds of orthographic
systems (ideographic, syllabic, alphabetic (both good and bad)
and: phonological/morphological representations, first/second
language acquisition, language change, retention/loss in
language disorders, and general cognitive processes.
INVITED SPEAKERS AND ABSTRACT DEADLINE (approx. NOV. 1987) TO BE ANNOUNCED. We
invite your comments and suggestions concerning the contents and organization
of the Literacy and Linguistics Symposium.
For further information contact:
Mike Hammond hammond@csd4.milw.wisc.edu
Evan Norris norris@csd4.milw.wisc.edu
Peter Lee lee@csd4.milw.wisc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 05 May 87 10:38:39 +1000
From: munnari!mulga.oz!kgm@seismo.CSS.GOV
Subject: Conference - 4th International Conference on Logic Programming
4th International Conference on Logic Programming
University of Melbourne, Australia
25-29 May 1987
The 4th International Conference on Logic Programming is to be held at the
University of Melbourne. Melbourne is a city in the south east of Australia.
It is located beside a large bay and has a population of around 3 million.
During May the weather is expected to be clear and sunny but bring an
umbrella(!).
Accommodation is available at the adjacent University Colleges, a nearby
hotel and a hotel in the city itself. Delegates staying at the University
Colleges are requested to check in at the registration desk at Trinity College
which will be staffed on the Sunday and Monday.
There is a Sky Bus coach service from Tullamarine (Melbourne) Airport to
central Melbourne about 25km away. It departs on the hour and half hour and
the cost is about $6 per person. When boarding the coach delegates should
tell the driver the name of the hotel they are staying at. Delegates staying
at the University Colleges should ask to be dropped off at Trinity College.
Anybody still requiring a registration form or more information concerning
the conference should contact either
Ms Buzz McCarthy
Director
Bloomsbury Conference Services
319 Lennox Street
Richmond, 3121, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: (03) 428 1983
Telex: AA 36224
or
UUCP: iclp@munnari.uucp
ARPA: iclp%munnari.oz@seismo.css.gov
CSNET: iclp%munnari.oz@australia
JANET: iclp%munnari.oz@uk.ac.ukc
The preliminary conference programme follows.
Monday 25 May (Tutorials Only)
09:00 - 13:00: Tutorial A
Topic: Introduction to Logic Programming
Speakers: L. Naish, K. Ramamohanarao (University of Melbourne)
09:00 - 13:00: Tutorial B
Topic: Natural Language Processing
Speaker: V. Dahl (Simon Fraser University)
14:00 - 18:00: Tutorial C
Topic: Logic Programming for Expert Systems
Speaker: M. Sergot (Imperial College)
14:00 - 18:00: Tutorial D
Topic: Parallel Logic Programming Languages
Speaker: K. Ueda (ICOT)
14:00 - 18:00: Tutorial E
Topic: Advanced PROLOG Programming
Speaker: L. Sterling (Case Western Reserve University)
[Note, the below are edited - BWM]
Tuesday 26 May
09:00 - 10:00: Keynote Address: J.A. Robinson (Syracuse
University), Chairperson: J-L. Lassez (IBM T.J. Watson
Research Center)
10:40 - 12:20: Session on Warren Abstract Machine, Chairper-
son: E. Lusk (Argonne National Lab)
13:30 - 15:35: Session on Databases, Chairperson: R.W. Topor
(University of Melbourne)
* A Database-Complete Proof Procedure based on SLD-
Resolution, L. Vieille (ECRC)
* Implementation of Recursive Queries for a Data Language
based on Pure Horn Logic, D. Sacca (CRAI) and C. Zaniolo
(MCC)
* Stratification and Knowledge Based Management, C. Lassez,
K. McAloon (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center) and G.S. Port
(University of Melbourne)
* Concurrent Database Updates in PROLOG, L. Naish, J.A.
Thom and K. Ramamohanarao (University of Melbourne)
16:05 - 17:20: Session on Constraints, Chairperson: R. Nasr
(MCC)
* Methodology and Implementation of a CLP System, J. Jaffar
(IBM T.J. Watson Research Center) and S. Michaylov (Monash
University)
* Answer Sets and Negation-as-Failure, K. Kunen (University
of Wisconsin)
* Forward Checking in Logic Programming, P. van Hentenryck
and M. Dincbas (ECRC)
17:20 - 18:05: Invited Talk: K.L. Clark and S. Gregory
(Imperial College), PARLOG and PROLOG United, Chairperson:
H. Tamaki (Ibaraki University)
Wednesday 27 May
09:00 - 09:45: Invited Talk: F. Pereira (SRI International),
Grammars and Logics of Partial Information, Chairperson:
R.A. O'Keefe (Quintus Computer Systems)
10:15 - 12:20: Session on Parallelism - Part I, Chairperson:
S. Morishita (IBM Tokyo Research Lab)
13:30 - 15:35: Session on Implementation Issues, Chairper-
son: M. Carlsson (SICS)
Thursday 28 May
09:00 - 09:45: Invited Talk: M. Sato (Tohoku University),
Quty: A Concurrent Language based on Logic and Functions,
Chairperson: K. Kunen (University of Wisconsin)
10:15 - 12:20: Session on Language Issues, Chairperson: C.
Palamidessi (Universita di Pisa)
* Near-Horn PROLOG, D.W. Loveland (Duke University)
* A Theoretical Combination of SLD-resolution and Nar-
rowing, A. Yamamoto (Kyushu University)
* Inductive and Deductive Control of Logic Programs, A.R.
Helm (University of Melbourne)
* An Efficient Logic Programming Language and its Applica-
tion to Music, K. Ebcioglu (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center)
* Symbolical Construction of Truth Valued Domain for Logic
Programs, S. Morishita, M. Numao and S. Hirose (IBM Tokyo
Research Lab)
13:30 - 15:35: Session on Parallelism - Part II, Chairper-
son: N. Ichiyoshi (ICOT)
16:05 - 17:20: Session on Applications, Chairperson: P. Cox
(Tech. Univ. of Nova Scotia)
* PYTHON: An Expert Squeezer, L. Sterling and Y. Nygate
(Case Western Reserve University)
* Logical Secrets, M.S. Miller, D. Bobrow, E.D. Tribble and
J. Levy (XEROX PARC)
17:20 - 18:05: Invited Talk: H. Gallaire (ECRC), Boosting
Logic Programming, Chairperson: F. Kluzniak (Warsaw Univer-
sity)
Friday 29 May
09:00 - 09:45: Invited Talk: K. Ramamohanarao and J.A.
Shepherd (University of Melbourne), Answering Queries in
Deductive Database Systems, Chairperson: C. Zaniolo (MCC)
10:15 - 12:20: Session on Program Analysis, Chairperson:
M.J. Maher (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center)
13:30 - 15:35: Session on Concurrent Languages, Chairperson:
S. Gregory (Imperial College)
16:05 - 16:55: SICS Presentation, S. Sundstrom
16:55 - 18:05: Panel Discussion: What are the Novel Applica-
tions of Logic Programming?, Chairperson: F. Mizoguchi
(Science University of Tokyo)
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End of NL-KR Digest
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