Radically Incomplete Reasoning about Containers: A First-Order Theory
Ernest Davis · 2013
This paper is a supplement to the paper, “Reasoning about Containers and Manipulation using Radically Incomplete Information ” (Davis, Marcus, and Chen, 2013).1 We present an axiomatic theory for qualitative reasoning about containers and manipulation. Motivation and larger context for this work is presented and manipulation or developing cognitive models of this reasoning is in the main paper. This supplement is a bare-bones account of the details of the first order theory and of its use in supporting sample inferences. This supplement is a work in progress. In particular, the development of the axiomatic theory has far outrun the formalization of examples that use the axioms. This imbalance should be corrected over time. The axiomatization here is certainly not intended as a complete qualitative theory of containers. 1 Microworld We have in mind a microworld of the structure described below. We have not given a formal characterization of the microworld, still less a formal semantics of the symbols; but it should be reasonably clear that such an account could be given in a way that makes the axioms true. 1.1 Ontology