This dissertation presents Modified Election (or ME) methodology and shows how it may be used to describe the beliefs a human expert would form regarding the answer to a given question, based on the available evidence. For example, the methodology could be used to describe the beliefs a heart specialist would form, regarding the question whether a patient should be put on a low fat, low cholesterol diet, based on whether the patient is overweight, has a family history of heart problems, etc. ME methodology employs statistical methods used to interpret random samples, as well as the concept of a "Modified Election" which is developed in this dissertation. In ME methodology, the numbers of "votes" for the possible outcomes in a modified election are used to weight the different pieces of evidence which might affect an expert's beliefs. / Two other popular formalisms for describing beliefs are Bayesian theory and Dempster/Shafer theory. Certain problematic aspects of these two formalisms which motivated ME methodology are discussed. It is then shown how ME methodology overcomes these problems. ME methodology may be used as the basis for the design of expert systems. An expert system is presented which illustrates how to do this. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-04, Section: B, page: 2068. / Major Professor: Daniel G. Schwartz. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76913 |
| Contributors | Lamm, James Erik., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 216 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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