A Deductive Question Answerer for Natural-language Inference


Book Description

The paper describes and exemplifies in detail the question-answering aspects of the Protosynthex III prototype language processing system, which is written in LISP 1.5 and operates on the Q-32 time-sharing system. The system's data structures and their semantic organization, the deductive question-answering formalism of relational properties and complex-relation-forming operators, and the question-answering procedures which employ these features in their operation are all described and illustrated. Examples of the system's performance and of the limitations of its question-answering capability are presented and discussed. It is shown that the use of semantic information in deductive question answering greatly facilitates the process, and that a top-down procedure which works from question to answer enables effective use to be made of this information. It is concluded that the development of Protosynthex III into a practically useful system to work with large data bases is possible but will require changes in both the data structures and the algorithms used for question answering. (Author).




Logic and Data Bases


Book Description







Computers in Information Sciences


Book Description




Symbolic Logic and Mechanical Theorem Proving


Book Description

This book contains an introduction to symbolic logic and a thorough discussion of mechanical theorem proving and its applications. The book consists of three major parts. Chapters 2 and 3 constitute an introduction to symbolic logic. Chapters 4-9 introduce several techniques in mechanical theorem proving, and Chapters 10 an 11 show how theorem proving can be applied to various areas such as question answering, problem solving, program analysis, and program synthesis.




Logic and Data Bases


Book Description




Advances in Data Base Theory


Book Description

This is the third book devoted to theoretical issues in data bases that we have edited. Each book has been the outgrowth of papers held at a workshop in Toulouse, France. The first workshop, held in 1977 focused primarily on the important topic of logic and databases. The book, Logic and Databases was the result of this effort. The diverse uses of logic for databases such as its use as a theoretical basis for databases, for deduction and for integ rity constraints formulation and checking was described in the chapters of the book. The interest generated by the first workshop led to the deci sion to conduct other workshops focused on theoretical issues in databases. In addition to logic and databases the types of papers were expanded to include other important theoretical issues such as dependency theory which, although it sometimes uses logic as a basis, does not fit with our intended meaning of logic and databases explored at the first workshop. Because of the broader coverage, and because we anticipated further workshops, the second book was entitled, Advances in Database Theory - Volume 1. The book "Logic and Databases" should be considered Volume 0 of this series.