This text teaches the core of theoretical topics in the field of expert systems, with discussions of knowledge representation, inference methods, reasoning under uncertainty, inexact reasoning and expert systems design. After laying this foundation of theory, the book then introduces users to CLIPS, a modern, powerful expert system programming tool the latest version of which is provided on a CD-ROM bound into the back of the book. The result is a self-contained book and CD-ROM package that provides sufficient background coverage of theory for students to read and understand current research papers in this fast-moving field, combined with a professional-strength expert systems programming tool for hands-on, practical study of expert systems development.