Re: Is Prolog good for AI? (was: Minsky still posting)

From: Matthew Huntbach (mmh_at_dcs.qmul.ac.uk)
Date: 03/15/05 

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 11:35:34 +0000

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005, alex goldman wrote:
> Matthew Huntbach wrote:

>> The reasoning is sometimes made "AI involves search, Prolog involves
>> search, therefore Prolog is good for AI".

> You seem to be implying Prolog is not good for AI.
>
> I think I disagree. My line of reasoning is as follows: what's good for
> inductive learning should be good for AI. Some of the most sophisticated
> inductive learning systems to date are based on ILP and use Prolog. Thus,
> Prolog is good for AI.

I was writing in the context of discussing why the Fifth Generation is
widely viewed as a failure. I think a big reason was a grossly
exaggerated view of what could be achieved for AI through logic
programming. Saying that is not to say that Prolog is without value.
However, I think if we are to advance research we have to be realistic
about our failures. AI in particular seems to proceed in waves of
hype where the latest fashionable technique is assumed to be the
answer to everything, followed by a backlash where that technique
is dismissed and even what was usefuo about it is lost.

So, yes, good, Prolog has a role in ILP. But there is more to AI than
ILP.

Matthew Huntbach

Relevant Pages

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