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Digital Library

of the European Council for Modelling and Simulation

 

Title:

Computation With Information Described In Natural Language-

The Concept Of Generalized-Constraint-Based Computation

Authors:

Lotfi A. Zadeh

Published in:

 

 

(2006).ECMS 2006 Proceedings edited by: W. Borutzky, A. Orsoni, R. Zobel. European Council for Modeling and Simulation. doi:10.7148/2006 

 

ISBN: 0-9553018-0-7

 

20th European Conference on Modelling and Simulation,

Bonn, May 28-31, 2006

 

Citation format:

Zadeh, L. A. (2006). Computation With Information Described In Natural Language- The Concept Of Generalized-Constraint-Based Computation. ECMS 2006 Proceedings edited by: W. Borutzky, A. Orsoni, R. Zobel (pp. 5-6). European Council for Modeling and Simulation. doi:10.7148/2006-0005

DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.7148/2006-0005

Abstract:

What is computation with information described in natural language? Here are simple examples. I am planning to drive from Berkeley to Santa Barbara, with stopover for lunch in Monterey. It is about 10 am. It will probably take me about two hours to get to Monterey and about an hour to have lunch. From Monterey, it will probably take me about five hours to get to Santa Barbara. What is the probability that I will arrive in Santa Barbara before about six pm? Another simple example: A box contains about twenty balls of various sizes. Most are

large. What is the number of small balls? What is the probability that a ball drawn at random is neither small nor large? Another example: A function, f, from reals to reals is described as: If X is small then Y is small; if X is medium then Y is large; if X is large then Y is small. What is the maximum of f? Another example: Usually the temperature is not very low, and usually the temperature is not very high. What is the average temperature? Another example: Usually most United Airlines flights from San Francisco leave on time. What is the probability that my flight will be delayed?

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