How to argue less

(File Last Modified Wed, May 29, 2002.)

• Review: How to argue less
• Experiments:
• Conclusion
• Discussion

Review: How to argue less

Experiments:

• A random search engine called CHEETAH exercises argument spaces expressed in the JANE rule-based language.
• TARZAN watches as CHEETAH chases JANE around the argument space.
• TARZAN builds a log of Jane's behaviour and learns how to nudge JANE into better behaviour.

Conclusion

• We can argue less by sorting our arguments according to their information gain.
• We can argue less by applying randomized abduction + induction to our combined viewpoints
• Funnel theory predicts that most informative arguments are few in number and fast to find.
• Such most informative arguments can be quickly found in JANE rules via CHEETAH's randomized abduction followed by TARZAN's induction.

Discussion

This technique applies in domains where three factors are true:

• narrow funnels are frequent
• random search is an adequate method of searching for goals
• random search has a preference for narrow funnels over wide funnels