KNOWLEDGE AND REASONING

Weeks 8 and 9
OBJECTIVES
 To familiarize with knowledge based agents
 To learn express knowledge in formal languages

 Illustrate the use of logic in building a logical agent

 Brief on knowledge based agents
 Reasoning and Logic
 Inference
 Propositional logic
 First order logic: Syntacs, semantics, inferences,
unification, chaining, resolution

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KNOWLEDGE BASED AGENTS
 KNOWLEDGE
 Knowledge includes facts about the real world entities and the
relationship between them
 Characteristics of Knowledge:
 It is voluminous in nature and requires proper structuring.
 It may be incomplete and imprecise.
 It may keep on changing (dynamic).

 There is a need to represent knowledge to ease the development

of an intelligent system.
 Different knowledge representation schemes may be appropriate depending
on tasks and circumstances
 MOTIVATION
Knowledge-Based Systems (KBSs) are useless without the ability to
represent knowledge
Intelligent system require:
Knowledge (current state) of the world
 formally represented using knowledge representation language

Inference mechanisms: to deduce new facts/knowledge that are unseen by

current percepts
Goal: what it wants to achieve
Effect of its action: what its own action do in various circumstances
 KNOWLEDGE-BASED AGENT (KBA)
Agents can be seen as knowing about their world, and reasoning
about their possible courses of action.
One can also design an autonomous agent that
learns and construct knowledge without human interventions
 COMPONENTS OF A KBA
The agent is composed of:
Knowledge base
 It operates by storing a set of sentences (facts and relationship between
facts) about the world in its KB.

Inference mechanism :
 With the help of inference mechanism deduce new sentences and use
them to decide what action to take

Learning mechanism:
Adapt to changes in the environment by updating the relevant knowledge

Input from Inference Output

environment Engine (actions)
Learning
(KB update)
Knowledge
Base
KNOWLEDGE BASE (KB)
 Contains set of facts about the domain expressed in a
suitable representation language
Each individual representation are called sentences
Sentences are expressed in a (formal) knowledge
representation (KR) language
 A KBA is designed such that there is a way to:-
TELL it (i.e. to add new sentences to the KB) and ASK it
(i.e. to query the KBA)
When one ASKs a question, the answer should follow from
what has been TELLed to the KB previously
Inference mechanism determines what follows from what
has been TELLed to the KB
INFERENCE ENGINE
 The Inference engine derives new sentences from the input
and KB
 The inference mechanism depends on representation in KB

9
 The agent operates as follows:
1. It receives percepts from environment
2. It computes what action it should perform (by IE and
KB)
3. It performs the chosen action (some actions are simply
inserting inferred new facts into KB).

Input from Inference Output

environment Engine (actions)
Learning
(KB update)
Knowledge
Base
KB can be viewed at different levels
 Knowledge Level.
 The most abstract level -- describe agent by saying what it knows.

10
 Example: An automated taxi might be said to know that the Abay Bridge
links Kebele10 and Kebele11
 Logical Level.
 The level at which the knowledge is encoded into sentences.

 For e.g. The taxi might be described as having the logical

sentences.
Links(AB,K10,K11) in our knowledge base.
 Implementation Level.
 The physical representation of the sentences in the logical level - how will
it be represented in the computer?
 Logical reasoning

 A logical, knowledge-based agent begins with some knowledge

of the world and of its own actions.
 It uses logical reasoning to maintain a description of the world as new
percepts arrive, and to deduce a course of action that will achieve its
goals.
 Let us see the example of Wumpus world environment, in
order to get motivation for logical reasoning.

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THE WUMPUS WORLD
 Wumpus is an early computer game based on an agent who
explores a cave consisting of rooms. Somewhere in the cave is
the wumpus, a beast that eats anyone who enters its room. To
make matters worse, some rooms contain bottomless pits that
will trap anyone who wanders into these rooms. (except for the
wumpus, who is big to be trapped). The only good feature in
this environment is heap of gold. Like the vacuum world, the
wumpus world is a grid of squares surrounded by walls, where
each square can contain agents and objects.

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PERCEPTS
 In the square containing the wumpus, in the directly adjacent
squares(not diagonally) the agent will perceive a stench (unpleasant
smell)
 In the squares directly adajcent to the pit, the agent will perceive a
Breeze (a gentle wind).
 In the square where the gold is, the agent will perceive a glitter.

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4

3
Stench
2
1 Breeze

1 2 3 4
Where is the Pit?
Where is the wumpus?

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 There is no stench or breeze in (1,1)  adjacent squares are
safe
 A cautious agent moves to a square that is safe
 Assume moving to (2,1), there is a breeze, there must be a pit
either in (2,2), (3,1)
 The pit can not be in (1,1) because we were already there.

 Go back to (1,1) and proceed to (1,2), there is a stench  there

must be a wumpus near by. Can not be in (1,1), since we were
already there,
 The wumpus can not be in (2,2) because we would have
detected a stench in (2,1). The wumpus is in (1,3)

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`KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION,
REASONING AND LOGIC
KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION &
REASONING

Knowledge Representation (KR): express knowledge explicitly

in a computer-tractable way such that the agent can reason out.
Parts of KR language:
Syntax of a language: describes the possible configuration to form
sentences. E.g.: if x & y denote numbers, then x > y is a sentence about
numbers
Semantics: determines the facts in the world to which the sentences refer.
E.g.: x > y is false when y is greater than x and true otherwise
Proof theory (inference rules and proof procedures)

Reasoning: is the process of constructing new sentences from

existing facts in the KB.
Proper reasoning ensures that the new configuration represent facts that
actually follow from the facts in the KB.
WHY KR IS IMPORTANT ?
 It enables to:
 Automate reasoning
 Discover new facts.
 Deduce new facts that follow from the KB
 Answer users queries
 Make decisions - select courses of actions
 etc.
 REPRESENTED?
Construct KB by TELLing the agent what it needs to know
add one by one the sentences that represent the domain
knowledge using KR language
Knowledge is basically represented as “symbol
structures” (essentially, complex data structures)
representing bits of knowledge (objects, concepts, facts,
rules, strategies...)
Example: “red” represents color red.
“mycar” represents my car.
red(mycar) represents the fact that my car is red.
Intelligentbehavior can be achieved through manipulation
of symbol structures
Build KB following declarative approach
Rather than procedural language (like C++/Java data structures),
use declarative languages (like prolog).
 REQUIREMENT FOR KR LANGUAGES?
Representational adequacy: the KR language should be effective in
representing the knowledge you need for your problem.
Is the KR language allows to represent simple or complex knowledge?
Understandability: the representational scheme should enable to do
it in a clear, precise and “natural” way.
Choose names for symbols that are meaningful.
Inferentialadequacy: have appropriate inference methods to reason
on knowledge represented and draw new conclusions.
A balance must be found between effective representation,
understandability and Inferential adequacy.
 LOGIC AS KR
A Logic is a formal language in which knowledge can be represented
such that conclusions can be drawn.
It is a declarative language to assert sentences and deduce from sentences.
Components of a formal logic include: syntax, semantics, reasoning
and inference mechanism.
Syntax: what expressions/structures are allowed in the language. Describes how
to make sentences
E.g. red(mycar) is ok, but mycar(grey or green) is not.
Semantics: express what sentences mean, in terms of a mapping to real world.
The meaning of a sentence is not intrinsic to that sentence. Semantics relate sentences to
reality.
E.g. red(mycar) means that my car is red.

Proof Theory: how we can draw new conclusions from existing statements in
the logic. It is a means of carrying our reasoning using a set of rules.
 WHY FORMAL LANGUAGES (LOGIC) ?

An obvious way of expressing or representing facts and thoughts

is by writing them in a natural language such as English, Amharic,
etc. However,
The meaning of a sentence depends on the sentence itself and on the context
on which the sentence was spoken
e.g. Look!
Natural languages exhibit ambiguity. E.g. small dogs and cats.
A single sentence can usually be interpreted in more than one way, possibly
inhibiting reasoning. Consider English sentences like:
“The boy saw a girl with a telescope”
“Our shoes are guaranteed to give you a fit”
Ambiguity makes reasoning difficult and incomplete.
Hence we need formal languages to express facts and concepts in an
unambiguous and well-defined way.
KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION
LANGUAGES
 Whatmakes it different from Programming
Languages and natural language?
 Programming languages are designed to completely
describe the state of the computer and how it changes as the
program executes. (they are not expressive since they can
not infer.)
 They do not offer easy ways to say what we want to say
 E.g. How will you express the sentence
 “The financial statement is wrong”,

 You have a headache

 There is a pit in [2,2] or [3,1]

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NATURAL LANGUAGES
 Natural languages are certainly expressive,
 they help us for communication, not for representation.
 A good way for a speaker to get a listener to come to know
something
 Natural language also suffers from ambiguity.
 Small dogs and cats
 Dangerous men and locations

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LOGICS
 Logic is the science or art of reasoning
 Concerned with what is true and how we know whether
something is true.
 Two kinds of Logic
 Propositional or Boolean Logic
 First-order Logic
 In both propositional and first order logic, a sentence represents a fact and
the agent either believes the sentence to be true, believes it to be false, or
is unable to conclude either way. These logics therefore have three
possible states of belief.
 Systems using probability theory, on the other hand, can have any degree
of belief, ranging from 0(total disbelief) to 1 (total belief).
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PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC
 A very simple logic

 Symbols represent facts

Symbols of propositional logic are the logical
TRUE and FALSE
Eg. P ≡ AAU is one of the accredited universities
in Africa (may or may not be true)
 Propositional symbols can be combined using boolean
connectives to generate sentences with more complex
meaning

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FIRST ORDER LOGIC
 Commits the representation of the world in terms of
objects and predicates on objects
 Predicates
may be properties, relationships
 Uses connectives and quantifiers

 Later, we will see

 FOL is able to capture a good deal of what we know about
the world
 FOL is used to represent and deduct facts

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PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC
 PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC
A simple language useful for showing key ideas and definitions
Syntax: PL allows facts about the world to be represented as
sentences formed from:
Logical constants: True, False
Proposition symbols (P, Q, R, …) are used to represent facts about the world:
e.g.: P = "It is hot“, Q = "It is humid“, R = "It is raining“
Logical connectives: not (), and ( or (), implies (), is equivalent, if and
only if ().
Parenthesis ( ): Used for grouping sentences and to specify order of precedence
(P  (Q ((R))) vs. P  (Q  R)
Precedence order from highest to lowest is: , ,,, 
 The sentence P v Q R  S is equivalent to ((P) v (Q R))  S
Binary operators are left associative: so P  Q  R is (P  Q)  R
Questions:
Is (P  Q)  R same as P  (Q  R) ?
Is (P  Q)  R same as P  (Q  R) ?
Is (P  Q)  R same as P  (Q  R) ?
 PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC (PL)
A sentence is made by putting symbols together.
There are atomic and complex sentences.
Atomic sentences: consist of propositional symbol (e.g. P, Q, TRUE,
FALSE)
If S is a sentence, then S is a sentence (not or negation)
If S is a sentence, then so is (S)
Complex sentences are combined by using connectives or
parenthesis:
If S and T are sentences, then S  T, (S  T), (S  T), (S  T), and (S  T) are
complex sentences, and are called conjunction, disjunction, implication, and
equivalent, respectively.
Examples: PL sentences for the “weather problem”:
“If it is hot and humid, then it is raining”: (P  Q)  R
“If it is humid, then it is hot” : Q  P
“It is humid.”: Q
A better way: Ho=“It is hot”, Hu=“It is humid”, R=“It is raining”
 EXAMPLE SENTENCES IN PL

Examples: Convert from English to Propositional sentence

Let A = Lectures are active and R = Text is readable, P = Kebede will pass the exam, then
represent the following:
 the lectures are not active: A
 the lectures are active and the text is readable:
AR
 either the lectures are active or the text is readable: AVR
 if the lectures are active, then the text is not readable: AR
 the lectures are active if and only if the text is readable: AR
 if the lectures are active, then if the text is not readable, Kebede will not pass the
exam: A  (R  P )
 TERMINOLOGY

Valid sentence: A sentence is valid sentence or tautology if and

only if it is True under all possible interpretations in all possible
worlds.
Example: “It’s raining or it’s not raining.” (R  R).
Satisfiable: A sentence is if satisfaible and only if there is some
interpretations in some world for which the sentence is True.
Example: “It is raining or it is humid”. R v Q, R
Unsatisfiable: A sentence is unsatisfiable (inconsistent sentence
or self- contradiction) if and only if it is not satisfiable, i.e. a
sentence that is False under all interpretations. The world is never
like what it describes.
Example: “It’s raining and it's not raining.” R  R
TERMINOLOGY

Entailment: mirrors the relation of one fact

following from another.
New sentences are generated that are necessarily true, given that the
old sentences are true.
KB entails α (KB |= α) if and only if the conclusion α is true in every
logically possible worlds in which all the premises in KB are true.
Derivation:
KB |- Q, Q is derived from KB if there is a proof consisting of a
sequence of valid inference steps starting from the premises in KB and
resulting in Q
 SEMANTICS
Facts and their representation:
Facts are part of the world, where as their representation must be encoded in
some way that can be physically stored within an agent
A semantics maps sentences to facts in the world. In the simplest
case, the semantics determines what objects in the world are
referenced by which objects in the language.
The property of one fact following from another should be mirrored
by the property of one sentence being logically entailed by another.
 SEMANTICS
Specifythe interpretation of the proposition symbols & constants, and the
meanings of the logical connectives
Truth Tables: define the semantics of sentences. The following table shows truth table
for the five logical connectives.
Note: P and Q can be any sentence, including complex sentences.

P Q P PQ PQ PQ PQ

True True False True True True True
True False False False True False False
False True True False True True False
False False True False False True True

Sentences in propositional logic tell you about what is true or false.

– P  Q means that both P and Q are true.
– P  Q means that either P or Q is true (or both)
– P  Q means that if P is true, so is Q.
 SEMANTICS (COMPLEX SENTENCES)
 Complex sentences such as (RS)(RS) are defined by a
process of decomposition.
 First determine the meaning of (RS) and of (RS).
 Then combine them using the definition of the  function

R S R RS RS (RS)(RS)

True True False True True True

True False False False False True

False True True False True True

False False True False True True

Can you write the truth table for:

– (P  Q)  (R  P)
 LOGICAL EQUIVALENCE
Twosentences are logical equivalent iff true in same
models. α Ξ β if and only if α |= β and β |= α
 INFERENCE RULES
Inference is used to create new sentences that logically follow from a
given set of sentences in the KB.
It captures patterns of inferences that occur over & over again.
Once a rule is established, it can be used to make inferences without going
through the tedious process of building truth tables
An inference rule {, } |- Θ consists of two sentence patterns  & 
called the conditions (premises) and one sentence pattern Θ called the
conclusion
 If  &  match two sentences of KB, then the corresponding Θ can be inferred
according to the rule
Given set of inference rules (I) and set of sentences (KB); Inference is
the process of applying successive inference rules from I to KB, each
rule inferring new facts and adding its conclusion to KB
Example: Modus Ponens: {  ,  } |- 
 INFERENCE RULES
RULE PREMISE CONCLUSION
Modus Ponens A, A  B B
Modus Tolens B, A  B A
And Elimination AB A
And Introduction A, B AB
Or Introduction A A1  A2 …  An
Double Negation Elimination  A A
Unit Resolution A  B, B A
Resolution A  B, B  C AC
Hypothetical Syllogism PQ, QR PR

In the case of modus ponens, if A is true and A  B is true, then

conclude B is true.
TWO IMPORTANT PROPERTIES OF INFERENCE

Completeness: If KB |= Q then KB |- Q
A logic is complete if it is capable of proving all consequences that can be
represented in it.
If Q is entailed by a set of sentences KB, then Q can be derived from KB using
inference rules.
Hence, inference produces all entailments, or all valid sentences can be proved from the
premises.
A set of inference rules is complete if every entailed sentences can be obtained
by applying some finite
succession of these rules
Modus ponens alone is not complete,
e.g.: from A  B and B, we cannot get A
 SOUNDNESS
Soundness: If KB |- Q then KB |= Q
A logic is sound if it preserves truth (i.e. if a set of premises are all
true, any conclusion drawn from those premises must also be true).
If Q is derived from a set of sentences KB using a given set of rules of
inference, then Q is entailed by KB.
Hence, inference produces only real entailments, or any sentence that follows
deductively from the premises is valid.
We can proof soundness by constructing the truth table.
An inference rule is sound if it generates only entailed sentences
 All inference rules previously given are sound
A ruleis sound if its conclusion is true whenever the premise is true.
E.g. modus ponens: {   , } 
 The following rule: {   , } 
is unsound, which does not mean it is useless


 EXAMPLES
From: Unit resolution vs. Modus ponens
Engine-Starts  Car-OK
Engine-Starts Engine-Starts  Car-OK
Infer: Car-OK

From: Unit resolution vs. Modus tolens

Engine-Starts  Car-OK
Car-OK Engine-Starts  Car-OK
Infer: Engine-Starts

From:
Engine-Starts  Flat-Tire  Car-OK
Engine-Starts  Empty-Gas-Tank Full Resolution
Infer: Empty-Gas-Tank  Flat-Tire  Car-OK
 EXAMPLE
From: Resolution vs. Hypothetical syllogism
P  Q ( P  Q)
Q  R ( Q  R)
Infer: P  R ( P  R)

From:
Engine-Starts  Flat-Tire  Car-OK
Engine-Starts  Flat-Tire
Infer: (Flat-Tire  Flat-Tire)  Car-OK  True

Tautology/valid
 FORMAL PROOFS
A proof is a sequence of steps followed to generate sentences, where
each sentence is
either a premise or a sentence/formula derived from earlier sentences (of the
proof) using some of the rules of inference.
The last step of the proof should deduce the formula (also called goal or query)
that we want to prove.

Example: The “weather problem”. Proof whether it is raining or not.

 Can you proof using tree representation?
1Q Premise “It is humid”
2QP Premise “If it is humid, it is hot”
3 (PQ)  R Premise “If it’s hot & humid, it’s raining”
 FORMAL PROOFS
Example: The “weather problem”. Proof whether it is raining or
not.
 Can you proof using tree representation?
1Q Premise “It is humid”
2QP Premise “If it is humid, it is hot”
3P Modus Ponens(1,2) “It is hot”
4 (PQ)  R Premise “If it’s hot & humid, it’s raining”
5 PQ And Introduction(1,2) “It is hot and humid”
6R Modus Ponens(4,5) “It is raining”

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 EXAMPLE 1
Construct formal proof of validity for the following problem:
If the investigation continues, then new evidence is brought to light.
If new evidence is brought to light, then several leading citizens are
implicated. If several leading citizens are implicated, then the
newspapers stop publicizing the case. If continuation of the
investigation implies that the newspapers stop publicizing the case,
then the bringing to light of new evidence implies that the
investigation continues. The investigation does not continue.
Therefore, new evidence is not brought to light.

Represent using PL and proof the conclusion that “new evidence is

not brought to light”.
 SOLUTION
Let
C: The investigation continues.
B: New evidence is brought to light.
I: Several leading citizens are implicated.
S: The newspapers stop publicizing the case.

1. CB
2. BI
3. IS
4. (C  S)  (B  C)
5. C
6. CI 1,2 (Hypothetical Syllogism)
7. CS 6,3 (Hypothetical Syllogism)
8. IC 7,4 (Modus Ponens)
9. B 8,5 (Modus Tollens)
EXAMPLE 2
Deme is either intelligent or a good actor. If Deme is intelligent,
then he can count from 1 to 10. Deme can only count fom 1 to 2.
Therefore Deme is a good actor.

Represent using PL and proof the conclusion that Deme is a good actor or
not.
 EXAMPLE 3
1. Battery-OK  Bulbs-OK  Headlights-Work
2. Battery-OK  Starter-OK  Empty-Gas-Tank  Engine-Starts
3. Engine-Starts  Flat-Tire  Car-OK
4. Headlights-Work
5. Battery-OK
6. Starter-OK
7. Empty-Gas-Tank
8. Car-OK

Proof: Flat-Tire Proof

9. Battery-OK  Starter-OK  (5+6)
10. Battery-OK  Starter-OK  Empty-Gas-Tank
 (9+7)
11. Engine-Starts  (2+10)
12. Engine-Starts  Flat-Tire  (3+8)
13. Flat-Tire  (11+12)
 MORE EXAMPLES

Represent the following problem and infer the third sentence from
the first two:
Every person is mortal.
Abebe is a person.
Therefore, Abebe is mortal.
InPL use propositional symbols to stand for all or part of each
sentence. Hence,
P = “person”; M = “mortal”; A = “Abebe”
So the above sentences are represented as:
P  M, A  P (Hypothesis). We can infer: A  M
Although the third sentence is entailed by the first two, we need an
explicit symbol, A, to represent an individual, Abebe, who is a
member of the classes “person” and “mortal.”
To represent other individuals we must introduce separate symbols for each one,
which means for representing the fact that all individuals who are “people” are
also "mortal.”
 PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC IS A WEAK LANGUAGE

 PL cannot handle even a domain with small worlds. The problem is that there are
just too many propositions to handle since it only has one representational device:
the proposition
 In PL world consists of just facts. It is hard to :
Identifyindividuals: E.g., Mary, 3
Describe properties of (or relations between) individuals. E.g. Belete is taller than
Gelaw
Generalize for a given universe. E.g., all triangles have 3 sides

 First-Order Logic (FOL) is expressive enough to concisely represent this kind of

situation.
FOL represents objects and relations between objects, variables, and quantifiers in
addition to propositions
Every elephant is gray:  x (elephant(x) → gray(x))
There is a white alligator:  x (alligator(X) ^ white(X))
 Prove that “my dog Fido is Nice, given that “all dogs are Nice.”
This requires to get at the structure and meanings of statements (where FOL is useful).
 CONCLUSION

Due to the ambiguity in natural languages there is a need to specify knowledge through
the use of formal languages
Formal languages give us a way to remove ambiguity and provide methods for automating
inference. PL is a first move in this direction
Inference: The process of deriving new sentences from old one
Sound inference: derives true conclusions given true premises.
Complete inference: derives all true conclusions from a set of premises.
A valid sentence is true in all worlds under all interpretations.
If an implication sentence can be shown to be valid, then
given its premise - its consequent can be derived.
Different logics make different commitments about what the world is made of and what
kind of beliefs we can have regarding the facts.
Logicsare useful for the commitments they do not make because lack of commitment gives the
knowledge base engineer more freedom.
PL commits only to the existence of facts that may or may not be the case in the world
being represented.
Using a simple syntax and semantic, it illustrates the process of inference.
PL quickly becomes impractical, even for very small worlds.