Chapter 8 - Expert Systems & Reasoning
Chapter 8 - Expert Systems & Reasoning
Artificial Intelligence
Chapter 8: Expert Systems &
Reasoning
1
Who is generally acknowledged
as an expert?
• Anyone can be considered a domain expert if he or
she has deep knowledge (of both facts and rules)
and strong practical experience in a particular
domain.
• The area of the domain may be limited. For
example, experts in life insurance marketing might
have limited understanding of a real estate
insurance policy.
• In general, an expert is a skilful person who can do
things other people cannot.
Definition of Expert Systems
• An Expert System is a computer program designed to simulate
the problem-solving behavior of a human who is an expert in a
narrow domain or discipline.
• Expert System, also called a Knowledge Based System (KBS), is
computer application programs that take the knowledge of one
or more human experts in a field and computerize it so that it is
readily available for use. A more general definition for expert
systems could be:
• The inference engine carries out the reasoning whereby the expert
system reaches a solution. It links the rules given in the knowledge
base with the facts provided in the database.
Structure of a Rule-Based
Expert System
• The explanation facilities enable the user to ask the expert system how a
particular conclusion is reached and why a specific fact is needed. An
expert system must be able to explain its reasoning and justify its advice,
analysis or conclusion.
• The external interface allows an expert system to work with external data
files and programs written in conventional programming languages such
as C, Pascal, FORTRAN and Basic. The developer interface usually includes
knowledge base editors, debugging aids and input/output facilities.
Production System Model
• Expert knowledge
– inconsistency between different experts
– plausibility
• “best guess” of experts
Belief, Disbelief, and CF
• measure of belief MB(H,E)
– degree to which hypothesis H is supported by evidence
E
• measure of disbelief MD(H,E)
– degree to which doubt in hypothesis H is supported by
evidence E
• difference between belief and disbelief
CF (H,E) = MB(H,E) - MD (H,E)
denotes the belief in a hypothesis H given that some
pieces of evidence E are observed
Characteristics of Certainty Factors
Aspect Probability MB MD CF
Certainly true P(H|E) = 1 1 0 1
Certainly false P(¬H|E) = 1 0 1 -1
No evidence P(H|E) = P(H) 0 0 0
• Ranges
– measure of belief 0 ≤ MB ≤ 1
– measure of disbelief 0 ≤ MD ≤ 1
– certainty factor -1 ≤ CF ≤ +1
Combining Evidence
in a Hypothesis
– A change in evidence, or having a new
evidence, of rule premises could be
combined :
• E1 AND E2 min [CF(E1, e),CF(E2, e)]
• E1 OR E2 max[CF(E1, e),CF(E2, e)]
• NOT E -CF(E, e)
Combining Evidence
in a Hypothesis
– The change in evidence will certainty
affect the overall CF of rule hypothesis:
is given by:
CFNew(H, Ecombined) = CF(Ecombined) *CF(H,E)Old
Quantification of Uncertainty Terms
Example
Given the following rule:
IF Sky definitely Dark AND Wind definitely Strong
THEN it will almost certainly Rain CF=0.8