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Construction of problem-solving methods as parametric design

Annette ten Teije1, Frank van Harmelen2, Guus Schreiber1 and Bob Wielinga1
1SWI, University of Amsterdam, {annette}@swi.psy.uva.nl
2Dept. of Math and CS, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Abstract:

The knowledge-engineering literature contains a number of approaches for constructing or selecting problem solvers. Some of these approaches are based on indexing and selecting a problem solver from a library, others are based on a knowledge acquisition process, yet others are based on search-strategies. None of these approaches sees constructing a problem solver as a configuration task that could be solved with an appropriate configuration method. We introduce a representation of problem solving methods that allows us to view the construction of problem solvers as a configuration problem, and specifically as a parametric design problem. There are several methods for solving configuration tasks. Studying these methods and in particular the method of propose-critique-modify results in guidelines for arranging the automated configuration theory. Furthermore we illustrate this method by a scenario in a small car domain example. This scenario is detailed enough that it can be directly implemented in a suitable architecture, which we have described elsewhere.





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Frank van Harmelen
Fri Oct 4 13:40:35 MET DST 1996