52 349 Logic Programming

Chapter 11 - Prolog for Expert Systems & Databases


§11.1 Expert Systems §11.2 Databases


Previous Reading: Standard Algorithms & Abstract Data Types

§11.1 Expert Systems

What is an "expert system"?

Prolog more or less by definition meets part (i) of this; how about part (ii)?

How might we assess an expert system?

So, what criteria for assessing - or establishing - an expert system? Perhaps:

Between them, these reflect characteristics of:

We can recognise features of Prolog - but they (should!) leave us uneasy

In fact Prolog proves useful for small scale systems, or for prototyping, or for simple experimentation.


§11.2 Databases

So, if there are difficulties with expert systems, how about something less sophisticated?

Clearly, Prolog database systems are possible:

Family Relationships & Application Domains

As for expert systems, the possibility is there, especially in a prototyping context.

Much depends on what we want to achieve, and on the tools available

More or less by definition, we generate a relational database
- relation and predicate are essentially synonymous!

And the extent to which data is normalised is up to us

... these are self-discipline, not Prolog.

Where we run into difficulty is in terms of control:

Yet all these can be tackled, successfully, if we wish.


© Paul Goldfinch 1997 Next Chapter Return to 52 349 Menu