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Logic versus Approximation pp 120–137Cite as

Engineers Don’t Search

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 3075))

Abstract

This paper is on the automation of knowledge-intensive tasks in engineering domains; here, the term “task” relates to analysis and synthesis tasks, such as diagnosis and design problems.

In the field of Artificial Intelligence there is a long tradition in automated problem solving of knowledge-intensive tasks, and, especially in the early stages, the search paradigm dictated many approaches. Later, in the modern period, the hopelessness in view of intractable search spaces along with a better problem understanding led to the development of more adequate problem solving techniques.

However, search still constitutes an indispensable part in computer-based diagnosis and design problem solving—albeit human problem solvers often gets by without: “Engineers don’t search” is my hardly ever exaggerated observation from various relevant projects, and I tried to learn lessons from this observation. This paper presents two case studies.

  1. 1

    Diagnosis problem solving by model compilation. It follows the motto:

    “Spend search in model construction rather than in model processing.”

  2. 2

    Design problem solving by functional abstraction. It follows the motto:

    “Construct a poor solution with little search, which then must be repaired.”

On second sight it becomes apparent that the success of both mottos is a consequence of untwining logic-oriented reasoning (in the form of search and deduction) and approximation-oriented reasoning (in the form of simulation).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Paderborn University, D-33095, Paderborn, Germany

    Benno Stein

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  1. Benno Stein
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Kaiserslautern, P.O. Box 3049, D-67653, Kaiserslautern

    Wolfgang Lenski

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© 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Stein, B. (2004). Engineers Don’t Search. In: Lenski, W. (eds) Logic versus Approximation. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3075. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-25967-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-25967-1_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-22562-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-25967-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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