This dissertation conducts an investigation into nonmonotonic reasoning---forms of reasoning which allow defeasible inferences arrived at in the absence of complete information, and which, when additional information is acquired, may need to be revoked. In contrast to the mathematical notion of consequence which is based on proof---mathematical proofs, once established, are beyond reproach, no matter what additional information is acquired---nonmonotonic forms of reasoning are often employed in Artificial Intelligence, where generally only incomplete information is available, and often 'working' inferences need to be made; e.g. default inferences. The platform on which this analysis of nonmonotonic reasoning is carried out is conditional logic; a relative of modal logic. This thesis explores notions of consequence formulated in conditional logic, and explores its possible-worlds semantics, and its connection to nonmonotonic consequence relations. In particular, the notion of default consequence is explored, receiving the interpretation that something is inferred to be true by default if it holds in a `majority' of possible worlds. A number of accounts of majority-based reasoning appear in the literature. However, it is argued that some of the more well known accounts have counter-intuitive properties. An alternative definition of `majorities' is furnished, and both modal and conditional formulations of this form of inference are given and compared---favourably---with similar approaches in the literature. A second, traditional problem of reasoning in Artificial Intelligence is tackled in this thesis: reasoning about action. The treatment presented is again based on conditional logic, but also incorporates an account of dynamic logic. The semantics proposed approaches the frame problem from a different perspective; the familiar `minimal change' approach is generalised to an account based on the principle known as Occam's Razor. The conditional introduced proves to be a valuable contribution to the account given---which again is compared, and contrasted with other approaches in the literature---accommodating a causal approach to the problem of correctly determining the indirect effects of an action.

Bibliography: leaves 259-272. / xii, 271 leaves ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1999

Includes bibliography / x, 351, [ca. 80] p. [i.e. leaves] : ill ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1986

Masters Research - Master of Medical Science / Pattern recognition is a non-analytical clinical reasoning process which has been reported in the medical and allied health literature for some time. At a time when clinical problem solving was largely considered to consist of the analytical process of hypothetico-deductive reasoning, pattern recognition was introduced in the literature with observations of greater efficiency and accuracy. The research that followed these apparent opposing models of clinical reasoning resulted in significant growth in the understanding of problem solving in healthcare. On commencing this thesis the knowledge surrounding pattern recognition in physiotherapy was insufficient for its inclusion in educational design. Consequently the aims of the study described in this thesis were to clearly identify pattern recognition using high fidelity case methods and observe its relationship with accuracy and efficiency. The study utilised a single case study with multiple participants. A real clinical case with a diagnosis of high grade lumbar spine spondylolisthesis was simulated using a trained actor. This provided a high fidelity case study method allowing the observation of more realistic problem solving practices as compared with the common low fidelity paper case approach. Two participant groups were included in the study to investigate the common belief that pattern recognition is an experience based reasoning process. The expert group comprised ten titled musculoskeletal physiotherapists with a minimum of ten years overall clinical experience and greater than two years experience following the completion of postgraduate study. The novice group included nine physiotherapists in their first year of clinical practice following completion of an undergraduate degree. Qualitative data collection methods included observation of the participant taking a patient history of the simulated client and a stimulated retrospective recall interview with the participant. The mixed method analysis used in the study provided methodological triangulation of the results and supported the presence of pattern recognition in musculoskeletal physiotherapy. The quantitative research findings indicated that pattern recognition was significantly more likely to produce an accurate diagnostic outcome than analytical reasoning strategies during a physiotherapy history. However its use was not a guarantee of success with only three of the four experts using pattern recognition identifying the correct diagnosis. Although four experts utilised pattern recognition as compared with only one novice, no significant overall differences were found in the use of pattern recognition between the expert and novice participant groups. The findings relating to time data found that expert participants took longer to conduct the client history than novices. Similarly those participants identified using pattern recognition also required more time which seemingly contradicts the view of pattern recognition being an efficient clinical reasoning process. This finding was limited by the incomplete nature of the study which did not include a physical examination or any client management.

Clinical decision-making (CDM) research has focused on diagnostic reasoning, CDM models, factors influencing CDM and the development of expertise. The research approaches used, including phenomenology, have not addressed the question of how CDM is perceived and approached by nurses. This study describes perceptions of CDM in relation to patients in pain using a phenomenographic methodology. At semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to recall their responses to a situation involving a patient in pain. The responses fell into four categories: (1) the effect of the clinical environment; (2) the role of other health professionals; (3) the place of the patient; and (4) the role of experience. Examples of differences in perceptions that were likely to impact on the nurses� approach to CDM include: the ongoing effects of time and workload demands on CDM; nurses are initially dependent but were eventually able to make decisions autonomously; the patient who may be peripheral or central to CDM; and the nurses� move from the use of theoretical principles to experiential knowledge as reflection-on-practice is employed. Perceptions in all categories are strongly implicated in the nurses� sense of confidence and independence. Implications for nursing practice and nursing education suggested by the findings relate to the number of areas in which graduates work in the first year of practice, the size of new graduate workloads, graduate transition programs, the place of reflection-on-practice and undergraduate (UG) program clinical experience patterns. Among issues for further research arising from the study are: replication of the study; detailed examination of the development of CDM in the first year of nursing practice and during UG nursing education programs; the role of other health professionals in the development of CDM behaviour; the links between CDM and clinical knowledge development; and the type of clinical environments that foster confidence and independence. A conclusion of the study is that the way CDM is approached is influenced by the amount, quality, relevancy and recency of clinical experience. In this study, phenomenography was shown to be an appropriate approach to the description of nurses� perceptions of CDM in relation to patients in pain. In addition, nurses� changing perceptions over two years and the subsequent effect on CDM behaviour were described.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1999. / Bibliography: leaves 259-272.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 7, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-109). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-180).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (Ed.D.)---Teacher's College, Columbia University. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Philip H. Phenix. Dissertation Committee: Jonas F. Soltis. Includes bibliographical references.