Preferential semantics for causal systems

Pavlos Peppas, Maurice Pagnucco, Mikhail Prokopenko, Norman Y. Foo, Abhaya Nayak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In the present work we examine the causal theory of actions put forward by McCain and Turner [McCain and Turner, 1995] for determining ramifications. Our principal aim is to provide a characterisation of this causal theory of actions in terms of a Shoham-like preferential semantics [Shoham, 19881. This would have a twofold advantage: it would place McCain and Turner's theory in perspective, allowing a comparison with other logics of action; and, it would allow us to glean further insights into the nature of causality underlying their work. We begin by showing that our aim is not attainable by a preferential mechanism alone. At this point we do not abandon preferential semantics altogether but augment it in order to arrive at the desired result. We draw f he following moral which is at the heart of our paper: two components - minimal change under a preferential structure and causality - are required to provide a concise solution to the frame and ramification problems.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)118-123
Number of pages6
JournalIJCAI International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence
Volume1
Publication statusPublished - 1999

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Preferential semantics for causal systems'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this