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<div style="direction: ltr;font-family: Tahoma;color: #000000;font-size: 10pt;"> CALL FOR PARTICIPATION<br>
<br>
University of Manchester<br>
<br>
MSc distance learning course/module on<br>
MODAL LOGICS AND DESCRIPTION LOGICS<br>
<br>
<br>
Registration Deadline: 20 February 2015<br>
<a href="http://www.cs.manchester.ac.uk/study/professional-development/study-options/distance-learning/atcs/course-modules/comp71130/">http://www.cs.manchester.ac.uk/study/professional-development/study-options/distance-learning/atcs/course-modules/comp71130/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
SUMMARY<br>
For many applications, specific domain knowledge is required.<br>
Instead of coding such knowledge into a specific system in a way<br>
that it can never be changed (hidden in the overall implementation),<br>
different logic-based formalisms for representing different kinds of<br>
knowledge have been developed in the last 50 years. They differ in<br>
what kind of statements one can make using them, in what kind of<br>
conclusions can be drawn from them, and how computationally costly<br>
this drawing of conclusions is.<br>
<br>
In this module, we discuss some of these approaches, namely<br>
modal logics and description logics. Description logics are mainly<br>
designed to represent and reason about the terminology of an<br>
application domain and form the logical underpinning of the Semantic<br>
Web ontology language OWL. Modal logics can be used to represent<br>
and reason about the behaviour of systems, for example agent based<br>
systems. For both logics, automated reasoning tools have been<br>
developed to answer queries about the knowledge representation<br>
explicitly. This can be used, for example, to ensure the quality of<br>
a knowledge base or access data in a flexible, intelligent way.<br>
<br>
This module provides an introduction to various modal and<br>
description logics, how to formalise knowledge and questions about<br>
this knowledge in these logics, different approaches to automated<br>
reasoning for these logics, and the relationship between these<br>
logics and first-order logic.<br>
<br>
The module aims to provide students with:<br>
<br>
* an understanding of<br>
- different kinds of knowledge and the logics developed to<br>
represent this kind of knowledge<br>
- syntax and semantics of various logics and standard<br>
reasoning problems<br>
- different techniques for automated reasoning for these logics<br>
- the relationship between modal, description, and first-order<br>
logic.<br>
* the ability to formalise knowledge within these logics, to<br>
translate between these logics, and to apply the reasoning<br>
techniques to solve standard reasoning problem, and<br>
* the ability to use various automated reasoning tools to reason<br>
about knowledge represented in these logics.<br>
<br>
PRE-REQUISITES<br>
An understanding of the basic notions of discrete mathematics (sets,<br>
operations on sets (intersection, union, ...), relations and their<br>
properties (being transitive, symmetric, etc), functions, graphs,<br>
etc) is required. It would be helpful if you had some knowledge of<br>
Boolean logic (aka propositional logic) or first order logic (aka<br>
predicate logic), but is not a requirement. Almost any<br>
introductory level textbook on Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge<br>
Representation, Logic, Foundations of Computer Science provides an<br>
introduction to both.<br>
<br>
This module is entirely web-based, so a reliable internet connection<br>
is essential.<br>
<br>
MORE INFORMATION<br>
A detailed module outline, learning outcomes, assessment information<br>
is available from the module website.<br>
<br>
REGISTRATION<br>
To register please send an email to <a href="mailto:emma.flynn@manchester.ac.uk">
emma.flynn@manchester.ac.uk</a>.<br>
Please address any questions also to this address.<br>
<br>
The fee for modules for the 2014/15 academic year is 1275 GBP.<br>
<br>
IMPORTANT DATES & INFORMATION<br>
Registration deadline: 20 February 2015<br>
Course Start Date: Week of 23 February 2015<br>
Duration: 16 weeks<br>
Required Time per Week: 8-10 hours<br>
<br>
COURSE TEACHERS<br>
Uli Sattler<br>
Renate Schmidt<br>
<br>
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