Re: SUO: Re: Re: Abstraction, Analogy, Example, Icon, Metaphor, Model, Mor phism, Paradigm, Prototype, Simulation

[apease <apease@teknowledge.com>]

Jack,
   A discussion of qualitative physics would be perfectly appropriate on 
this forum.  In particular, it would be good to agree on a set of 
definitions covering the items Ken Forbus gives in one example at 
http://www.qrg.ils.nwu.edu/ideas/qptidea.htm

(defProcess (heat-flow ?src ?dst ?path)  ;; The physical process being defined
    Individuals ((?src :conditions (Quantity (heat ?src)))  ;; Kinds of 
entities
                 (?dst :conditions (Quantity (heat ?dst)))  ;;  it occurs among
                 (?path :type Heat-Path
                        :conditions (Heat-Connection ?path ?src ?dst)))
    Preconditions ((Heat-Aligned ?path))  ;; Non-dynamical antecedents
    QuanityConditions ((greater-than (A (temperature ?src))   ;; Dynamical
                                     (A (temperature ?dst)))) ;;  antecedents
    Relations ((Quantity flow-rate)  ;; Consequences
               (Q= flow-rate (- (temperature ?src) (temperature ?dst))))
    Influences ((I+ (heat ?dst) (A flow-rate)) ;; Direct causal effects
                (I- (heat ?src) (A flow-rate))))

Such items would include at a minimum the notions of rates and quantities 
and the influence that some quantities have upon others in the context of a 
given physical system (either class of systems or particular instance).

Adam


At 02:15 PM 10/30/2000 -0500, Jack Park wrote:

>Jon,
>I would be very interested to persue a discussion of qualitative physics.
>Would that need to be conducted on a different venue?
>Jack Park
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Jon Awbrey <jawbrey@oakland.edu>
><snippage>
>OK, this part I think I get, as I did spend some time studying
>the "Qualitative Physics" of Ken Forbus, Ben Kuipers, and others.
>But that was a long time ago, and my present approach to these
>issues has evolved quite a bit since then.  Let me know if you
>want to talk about that.
>
>
>
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-----------------
Adam Pease
Teknowledge
(650) 424-0500 x571