AN APPROACH TO AUTOMATED REASONING

Abstract

Automated reasoning suggests that many of the important advances come from experimentation , for one must necessarily test and evaluate new techniques thoroughly when the object is to automate . Automatic reasoning is concerned with the computer programs that reason - a fascinating dream , to use the most advanced computers to reason , and reason effectively and logically . The usefulness of a computer program , that functions as an automated reasoning assistant depends on how the specific problem under study is presented to the program, the power of rules employed, to draw conclusions, and effectiveness of the strategies used to control reasoning . That there exists many obstacles to overcome, numerous .problems to solve and related development to explore is predictable . In this dissertation we have implemented an automated reasoning program, Csing an advanced method -~ Matrix Connection Method of-Reasoning. Resolution mechanism, as an effective inference rule also has---been used as a method of reasoning in the several problems . A lexical analyzer and parser for the language to be 'used by the automated reasoning program I~ has been developed. A tree manipulation for the sentences in the chosen language is done to convert the sentences to normal clause form so that the automated reasoning program can use it effectively and logically . To know when a given assignment has been completed , the reasoning program searches all the paths through available informations to find if a contradiction exists in each case . The technique for automated reasoning is illustrated by several examples.