Abduction and induction combined in a metalogic framework

Henning Christiansen
Department of Computer Science
Roskilde University, P.O.Box 260, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark


Abduction and induction are special cases within a wider spectrum of reasoning processes whose purpose is to generate feasible hypothesis that can explain given observations. Based on metaprogramming methods in logic programming, a framework is described for specification and implementation of reasoning processes in which generated hypotheses may consist of any combination of rules and facts. The core of this framework is a reversible proof predicate that serves as a generic reasoning device. Declarative side-conditions can be applied for tuning the proof predicate to produce hypotheses of given forms, thereby implementing, say, abduction, induction or a variety of combinations thereof.


Book chapter in: Abductive and Inductive Reasoning: Essays on their Relation and Integration, Flach. P., Kakas, A., (eds.), pp. 195-211, Kluwer, 2000.