Automated reasoning

Automated reasoning (also known as computational logic or automatic deduction) is a field of computer science and artificial intelligence concerned with developing methods and software tools for reasoning with logical and/or mathematical formulas, developed for the purpose of automated problem solving. Automated reasoning is used in a wide range of applications, such as theorem proving, software and hardware verification, reasoning under uncertainty, and artificial intelligence.

Automated reasoning has its origins in the 1950s and 60s, when researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other universities began exploring how computers could be used to solve complex mathematics and logic problems automatically. In the 1970s, computer scientists developed algorithms to automate logical reasoning, including resolution, which is a popular form of automated reasoning. In the 1980s, automated theorem proving became a major area of research, and automated reasoning systems began to be applied to other fields, such as software and hardware verification.

At its most basic level, automated reasoning can be thought of as a search for a proof of a desired result. The input is a set of assumptions, or premises. An automated reasoning system then searches for a path from the assumptions to the desired conclusion, using various rules of inference to connect the premises to the conclusion. Rules of inference used by automated reasoning system may include resolution, modus ponens, and modus tollens.

The success of automated reasoning systems is highly dependent on the capabilities of the underlying algorithms and their ability to represent, store, and retrieve information in an efficient manner. In addition, automated reasoning systems require a level of intelligence in order to understand and generalize the information presented to them through logical reasoning.

In recent years, automated reasoning has been applied to various fields such as hardware and software verification, mathematical theorem proving, and robotics. Automated reasoning has also been used to help construct models for complex systems, such as the human brain.

With advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, automated reasoning is becoming an increasingly important tool for solving difficult problems. Automated reasoning systems are being developed for applications in a variety of domains, from medicine to finance. For example, automated reasoning systems are being used to analyze complex financial data to identify potential trends. Automated reasoning systems are also being used for computer security, allowing for faster detection and response to malicious software.