Toward a Computational Model of Hypothesis Formation and Model Building in Science

We present our two-part approach to computational scientific discovery. The first part is a heuristic search through the space of hypotheses to find good hytheses. The second stage is a heuristic search through the space of sets of hypotheses to find coherent models. Both of these heuristic searches strive for four criteria: empirical support, simplicity, novelty and utility. Four types of domain knowledge inform both searches: transforms, taxonomies, sequences and default models. We mention several experimental results that suggest the viability of our approach.

[1]  Kenneth F. Schaffner,et al.  Logic of Discovery and Diagnosis in Medicine , 2023 .

[2]  Noretta Koertge,et al.  Theory Change in Science , 1973 .

[3]  David H. Wolpert,et al.  The Mathematics of Generalization: The Proceedings of the SFI/CNLS Workshop on Formal Approaches to Supervised Learning , 1994 .

[4]  Bruce G. Buchanan,et al.  A framework for autonomous knowledge discovery from databases , 2001 .

[5]  Nandit Soparkar,et al.  Representation reducing heuristics for semi-automated scientific discovery , 2000 .

[6]  Joshua Lederberg,et al.  Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Chemical Inference: The Dendral Project , 1980 .

[7]  Carl G. Hempel,et al.  I.—STUDIES IN THE LOGIC OF CONFIRMATION (II.) , 1945 .

[8]  E. Feigenbaum,et al.  Applications of artificial intelligence for chemical inference. 22. Automatic rule formation in mass spectrometry by means of the meta-DENDRAL program , 1976 .

[9]  M. Bunge.  The Weight of Simplicity in the Construction and Assaying of Scientific Theories , 1961, Philosophy of Science.

[10]  Bruce G. Buchanan,et al.  The MYCIN Experiments of the Stanford Heuristic Programming Project , 1985 .

[11]  K. Popper,et al.  The Logic of Scientific Discovery , 1960 .

[12]  Nelson Goodman.  The Logical Simplicity of Predicates , 1949, J. Symb. Log..

[13]  Mary Hesse,et al.  Models and analogies in science , 1970 .

[14]  J. Rissanen,et al.  Modeling By Shortest Data Description* , 1978, Autom..

[15]  P. Thagard,et al.  Computational Philosophy of Science , 1988 .

[16]  P. Wiener,et al.  The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. , 1968 .

[17]  Russ B. Altman,et al.  Heuristic refinement method for the derivation of protein solution structures: validation on cytochrome b562 , 1988, J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci..

[18]  T. Kuhn,et al.  The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. , 1964 .

[19]  N. Goodman.  Fact, Fiction, and Forecast , 1955 .