Transition Space.

摘要

Informal causal descriptions of physical systems abound in sources such as encyclopedias, reports and user manuals. Yet these descriptions remain largely opaque to computer processing. This paper proposes a representational framework in which such descriptions are viewed as providing partial specifications of paths in a space of possible transitions, or transition space. In the framework, the task of comprehending informal causal descriptions emerges as one of completing the specifications of paths in transition space - filling causal gaps and relating accounts of activity varied by analogy and abstraction. Drawing on results from perceptual psychology, a specific representation for events is outlined, along with a set of operations for use in comprehending and answering questions regarding informal causal descriptions. The use of the representation and its operations is illustrated in the context of a simple description concerning rocket propulsion.