Using Counterfactuals in Knowledge-Based Programming

Abstract

This paper adds counterfactuals to the framework of knowledge-based programs of Fagin, Halpern, Moses, and Vardi [1995, 1997]. The use of counterfactuals is illustrated by designing a protocol in which an agent stops sending messages once it knows that it is safe to do so. Such behavior is difficult to capture in the original framework because it involves reasoning about counterfactual executions, including ones that are not consistent with the protocol. Attempts to formalize these notions without counterfactuals are shown to lead to rather counterintuitive behavior.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 19, 2004
Accession Number
AD1020566

Entities

People

  • Joseph Halpern
  • Yoram Moses

Organizations

  • Cornell University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Analogs
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Asynchronous Systems
  • Causal Reasoning
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Science
  • Distributed Computing
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Environment
  • Equations
  • Game Theory
  • Generators
  • Language
  • New York
  • Programming Languages
  • Reasoning
  • Standards

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Applied Combinatorial Optimization and Logic Circuit Design.
  • Artificial Intelligence