Logic and Information by Keith Devlin

Logic and Information by Keith Devlin

Intelligence can be characterised both as the ability to absorb and process information and as the ability to reason. Humans and other animals have both of these abilities to a greater or lesser degree, but the search for artificial intelligence has been hampered by our inability to create a theory that covers both of these characteristics. In this provocative and ground-breaking book, Professor Keith Devlin argues that to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of intelligence and knowledge acquisition, we must broaden our concept of logic. For these purposes, Devlin introduces the concept of the infon, a quantum of information, and merges it with situations, a mathematical construction generalising the notion of sets developed by Barwise and Perry at Stanford University in order to study the meaning of natural languages. He develops and describes the theory here in general and intuitive terms, and discusses its relevance to a variety of concerns such as artificial intelligence, cognition, natural language and communication.

'It is exciting to see a mathematician of Devlin's calibre joining the endeavour, and wonderful to have someone with his expository abilities explaining the work to othersHis book Logic and Information is an important milestone in fulfilling this old hope.' Jon Barwise
'… the fascinating account of a mathematician's views on how true mathematics - and not just a formalisation of it - can be used to model reality.' New Scientist
' … can be recommended to anyone who has recognized the need for a better understanding of the nature of information.' The Computer Journal
'The ideas in this fascinating, challenging, but speculative book are set forth with clarity and wit that does them justice.' D. V. Feldman, Choice

Keith Devlin is the Dean of Saint Mary's College of California's School of Science and a Senior Researcher at Stanford University's Center for the Study of Language and Information. He is the author of Life by the Numbers, Farewell, Descartes, Logic and Information, Mathematics: The New Golden Age, and InfoSense: Converting Information into Knowledge. He was a crucial participant in the six-part PBS television series Life by the Numbers.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521410304
ISBN 10	0521410304
Title	Logic and Information
Author	Keith Devlin
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	1991-09-27
Number of pages	328
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.