Generalization versus classification

Abstract The problem of generalizing from specific instances to descriptions of underlying concepts is represented abstractly as the problem of inductive inference. A similarly abstract rendition of the problem of classifying concepts from a collection into one of a finite set a categories is introduced. The mathematical representations of generalization and classification admit to rigorous comparisons. We show similarities as well as differences between the problems of generalization and classification. Some characterizations of an interesting, potentially practical, restriction of the classification problem are presented.

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