Epistemic Logic for AI and Computer Science

by J.-J. Ch. Meyer , W. van der Hoek

• ISBN13: 9780521602808
• ISBN10: 0521602807
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-03-25
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Epistemic logic has grown from its philosophical beginnings to find diverse applications in computer science as a means of reasoning about the knowledge and belief of agents. This book, based on courses taught at universities and summer schools, provides a broad introduction to the subject; many exercises are included together with their solutions. The authors begin by presenting the necessary apparatus from mathematics and logic, including Kripke semantics and the well-known modal logics K, T, S4 and S5. Then they turn to applications in the contexts of distributed systems and artificial intelligence: topics that are addressed include the notions of common knowledge, distributed knowledge, explicit and implicit belief, the interplays between knowledge and time, and knowledge and action, as well as a graded (or numerical) variant of the epistemic operators. The problem of logical omniscience is also discussed extensively. Halpern and Moses' theory of honest formulae is covered, and a digression is made into the realm of non-monotonic reasoning and preferential entailment. Moore's autoepistemic logic is discussed, together with Levesque's related logic of 'all I know'. Furthermore, it is shown how one can base default and counterfactual reasoning on epistemic logic.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Introduction

2. Basics: the modal approach to knowledge

3. Various notions of knowledge and belief

4. Knowledge and ignorance

5. Default reasoning by epistemic logic

References

Appendices

Answers to exercises

Index.