symbolic inference
The derivation of new facts from known facts and inference rules. This is one of
the fundamental operations of artificial intelligence and logic programming
languages like Prolog.
Inference is a basic part of human reasoning. For example given that all men are
mortal and that Socrates is a man, it is a trivial step to infer that Socrates
is mortal. We might express these symbolically:
man(X) => mortal(X).
man(socrates).
("if X is a man then X is mortal" and "Socrates is a man"). Here, "man",
"mortal" and "socrates" are just arbitrary symbols
which the computer manipulates without reference to
or knowledge of their external meaning. A forward
chaining system (a production system) could use
these to infer the new fact
mortal(socrates).
simply by matching the left-hand-side of the implication against the fact
and substituting socrates for the variable X.
(1994-10-28)
Nearby terms:
Symbolic Assembler Program « SYMBOLIC ASSEMBLY «
Symbolic Automatic INTegrator « symbolic
inference » Symbolic Link » symbolic link »
symbolic logic
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