Knowledge representation

342 Pages·1999·139.589 MB·English

by  Markman, Arthur B

Knowledge Representation
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Knowledge Representation
Arthur B. Markman
University of Texas at Austin
LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS
1999 Mahwah, New Jersey London
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Copyright © 1999 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in
any form, by photostat, microfilm, retrieval system, or any
other means, without prior written permission of the pub
lisher.
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Cover design by Kathryn Houghtaling Lacey
Cover artwork, "Reptiles," by M.e. Escher.
© 1998 Cordon Art B.V -Baarn -Holland. All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Markman, Arthur B.
Knowledge representation / Arthur B. Markman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0-8058-2440-5 (hardcover : alk. paper). -
ISBN 0-8058-2441-3 (pbk.: alk. paper).
I. Mental representation. 2. Intellect. 3. Thought and
thinking. 4. Cognitive science. I. Title.
BF316.6.M37 1998
I 53--dc2 I
98-19006
CIP
Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates are printed
on acid-free paper, and their bindings are chosen for strength
and durability.
Printed in the United States of America
10987654321
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To Betsy
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Contents
Preface IX
1 Foundations 1
2 Spatial Representations: What Do We Mean by Space? 27
3 Featural Representations 59
4 Network Models 89
5 Structured Representations 118
6 Structure in Perceptual Representations 154
7 Structured Concept Representations 188
8 General and Specific Information in Representations 217
9 Mental Models 248
10 Using Representation 277
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viii
CONTENTS
References 301
Author Index 317
Subject Index 323
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Preface
At first glance, calling this book Knowledge Representation seems to remove
all suspense as to what it is about, but actually I think it heightens the
tension. Cognitive scientists have seldom agreed about what knowledge
representation is (or even whether there really are representations). Fur
thermore, many people have their own favorite way to think about knowl
edge representation and regard anyone who thinks otherwise with guarded
skepticism.
As I wrote it, I thought of this book as a Michelin guide to knowledge
representation. (I would call it a Fodor's guide, but there seems to be a
Fodor who has had a few things to say about knowledge representation
and who has apparently written his own guide.) The typical travel guide
presents an overview of a city, country, or region. It defines boundaries,
describes languages and currencies, and mentions museums, monuments,
and other sights. The descriptions are never as rich as the sights themselves
(or people would never travel). Invariably, there are suggestions of things
to see that you would not have considered, and sights your mother's best
friend said not to miss that are not even in the guidebook.
I hope that this book serves as a good guide as well. In chapter 1, I
define representation and discuss some foundational issues. Then, in chap
ters 2 to 7, I discuss kinds of representations (akin to regions of a country),
ways that people have thought about representations in the context of
psychological, computational, or linguistic models. By organizing the book
around types of representations, I have tried to bring together things that
I think are deeply similar, although investigators may traditionally not have
considered them to be similar. Chapters 8 and 9 focus on the role of
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