Knowledge and Inference discusses an important problem for software systems: How do we treat knowledge and ideas on a computer and how do we use inference to solve problems on a computer? The book talks about the problems of knowledge and inference for the purpose of merging artificial intelligence and library science.
The book begins by clarifying the concept of ""knowledge"" from many points of view, followed by a chapter on the current state of library science and the place of artificial intelligence in library science. Subsequent chapters cover central topics in the artificial intelligence: search and problem solving, methods of making proofs, and the use of knowledge in looking for a proof. There is also a discussion of how to use the knowledge system. The final chapter describes a popular expert system. It describes tools for building expert systems using an example based on Expert Systems—A Practical Introduction by P. Sell (Macmillian, 1985). This type of software is called an ""expert system shell."" This book was written as a textbook for undergraduate students covering only the basics but explaining as much detail as possible.

• Front Cover 2
• Knowledge and Inference 5
• Copyright Page 6
• Table of Contents 7
• Preface 11
• Reader's Guide 15
• Chapter 1. What Is Knowledge? 19
  • 1.1 How Knowledge Is Seen in Philosophy 19
  • 1.2 Method in Natural Science 22
  • 1.3 Knowledge in Artificial Intelligence 25
  • 1.4 Factual Knowledge 27
  • 1.5 Inference Knowledge 29
  • Summary 34
  • Exercises 35
  • Key Words 35