Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!SYSB.SALFORD.AC.UK!IT21
From: IT21@SYSB.SALFORD.AC.UK
Newsgroups: comp.ai.digest
Subject: Newell's Knowledge Level
Message-ID: <19880903034508.9.NICK@HOWARD-JOHNSONS.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Date: 3 Sep 88 03:45:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 69
Approved: ailist@ai.ai.mit.edu

Date: Thu, 1 Sep 88 12:36 EDT
From: IT21%SYSB.SALFORD.AC.UK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
To: ailist@AI.AI.MIT.EDU
Subject:  Newell's Knowledge Level

From: Andrew Basden, I.T. Institute, University of Salford, Salford.

Please can anyone help clarify a topic?

In 1982 Allen Newell published a paper, 'The Knowledge Level' (Artificial
Intelligence, v.18, p.87-127), in which he proposed that there is a level
of description above and separate from the Symbol Level.  He called this
the Knowledge Level.  I have found it a very important and useful concept
in both Knowledge Representation and Knowledge Acquisition, largely
because it separates knowledge from how it is expressed.

But to my view Newell's paper contains a number of ambiguities and
apparent minor inconsistencies as well as an unnecessary adherence to
logic and goal-directed activity which I would like to sort out.  As
Newell says, "to claim that the knowledge level exists is to make a
scientific claim, which can range from dead wrong to slightly askew, in
the manner of all scientific claims."  I want to find a refinement of it
that is a bit less askew.

Surprisingly, in the 6 years since the idea was introduced there has
been very little discussion about it in AI circles.  In psychology
circles likewise there has been little detailed discussion, and here the
concepts are only similar, not identical, and bear different names.  SCI
and SSCI together give only 26 citations of the paper, of which only four
in any way discuss the concepts, most merely using various concepts in
Newell's paper to support their own statements.  Even in these four there
is little clarification or development of the idea of the Knowledge
Level.

So I am turning to the AILIST bulletin board.  Has anyone out there any
understanding of the Knowledge Level that can help in this process?
Indeed, is Allen Newell himself listening to the board?

Some of the questions I have are as follows:

1.  Some (eg. Dennett) mention 3 levels, while Newell mentions 5.  Who is
'right' - or rather, what is the relation between them?

2.  Newell says that logic is at the Knowledge Level.  Why?  I would have
put it, like mathematics, very firmly in the Symbol Level.

3.  Why the emphasis on logic?  Is it necessary to the concept, or just
one form of it?  What about extra-logical knowledge, and how does his
'logic' include non-monotonic logics?

4.  The definition of the details of the Knowledge Level is in terms of
the goals of a system.  Is this necessary to the concept, or is it just
one possible form of it?  There is much knowledge that is not goal
directed.

Alexander et. al. and Clancey both question Newell's adherence to logic
and goals, but do not discuss the case.  Can anyone shed any light?  I
have further questions, which I will put directly to some of those who
reply.  Or (please tell me) should I put them on the board?  And would
anyone like a summary from me of my findings?

Thank you, in advance.

Andrew Basden

Information Technology Institute, University of Salford, Salford, UK.
JANET: abasden@uk.ac.salf.b
Phone: (44) 61 736 5843 x510;  Telex: 668680 (Sulib);
Fax: (44) 61 745 7808