Transcript Commonsense Reasoning and Science

Commonsense Reasoning
and Science
Understanding variants
What would happen if:
• There were no test tubes?
• The test tubes were right side up?
• The test tubes were slanted?
• The test tubes were initially full of air?
• One of the electrodes was outside the tube?
• Both electrodes were in the same tube?
Understanding elementary science
is not just knowing formulas like
2H2O → 2H2 + O2
One has to be able to connect this to the
world as perceived and manipulated at the
human level.
That is, to one’s commonsensical
understanding of the physical world.
Qualitative reasoning
You don’t need exact shape or physical
information to see how this works:
• Shape of test tube
• Shape of beaker
• Voltage between electrodes
• Exact position of electrodes
You may not have this information
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Can’t perceive or measure
Changed since perceived/measured
The system is incompletely designed
Reason about classes of system
But you do need some geometry
• The beaker can hold water.
• The test tubes are upside down with their
openings in the water.
• The electrodes are inside the tubes
• The tubes are initially full of water
• The tubes do not have a hole on top
• The interiors of the tubes are separated
The Problem
To carry out physical reasoning at the
commonsense level based on qualitative
information.
Applications
• Robotics + planning
• Vision
• Natural language disambiguation:
“The pure elements are collected in
separate tubes.”
=> Quantities of oxygen and hydrogen
gradually accumulate, each in its own
tube, and are confined to remain there.
Standard theories
AI: Atomic actions, discrete changes, little
geometry.
Scientific computation: Generally requires
quite precise boundary conditions. Step by
step simulation.
My approach
• Characterize general laws, problem
specifications, needed to support
inference
• Particular emphasis on
– Qualitative geometry
– Reasoning over extended time
Specific domains
Previous work:
Cutting solid objects.
Carrying objects in boxes.
Current projects:
Pouring liquids
Carrying objects on trays
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