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From: kirlik@chmsr.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: jigsaw puzzles and data fusion
Message-ID: <2185@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Date: 30 Sep 89 22:38:31 GMT
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Organization: Center for Human-Machine Systems Research - Ga Tech
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Barry Kort writes:

>>In article <1882@csm9a.UUCP> fhadsell@csm9a.UUCP ( GP) writes:

 > I have received a flyer concerning a course by Llinas & Hall on Data
 > Fusion.  As I read it the flyer doesn't say what Data Fusion is.  Would
 > you please enlighten me?

>>  You are sitting at a large table, assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle.

(Some stuff deleted)

>>  You will have to
>>  to use deductive and inductive reasoning, inferential reasoning,
>>  combinatorial logic, analogical and model-based reasoning, and
>>  diagnostic reasoning to accomplish your task.

>>  That is Data Fusion.

I'm not exactly sure why, but I find this (type of) problem definition
somewhat troublesome. Perhaps it is because it seems to smuggle the
solution methodology into the statement of the problem. Deductive and
inductive reasoning, inferential reasoning, analogical, model-based,
and diagnostic reasoning are theory laden terms, reflective of an
(in my opinion premature and naive) way of carving up the AI problem
(and definitely premature if it reflects a way of carving up the
psychological problem). These terms are not part of the data of
experience, nor have the theories giving rise to them reached a
level of pragmatic utility and uncritical acceptance that we should
be using them in our problem Definitions. If this way of carving
up the world is wrong, all sorts of false problems can be created.

In short, I'd make the guess that solutions to the data fusion
problem are possible without using all these "reasonings", and
that I am definitely not using them when puting together a
jigsaw puzzle, although I may be described as if I was using
them. 

I only got up the gumption to make this posting because I see
a lot of "getting the cart before the horse" in AI, and too
many people armed with solutions looking for problems.  

I guess this will endear me to the community.


Alex Kirlik

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