A new method is proposed for exploiting causal independencies in exact Bayesian network inference.

Bayesian networks are directed acyclic graphs that represent dependencies between variables in a probabilistic model. Many time series models, including the hidden Markov models (HMMs) used in speech recognition and Kalman filter models used in filtering and control applications, can be viewed as examples of dynamic Bayesian networks. We first provide a brief tutorial on learning and Bayesian networks. We then present some dynamic Bayesian networks that can capture much richer structure than HMMs and Kalman filters, including spatial and temporal multiresolution structure, distributed hidden state representations, and multiple switching linear regimes. While exact probabilistic inference is intractable in these networks, one can obtain tractable variational approximations which call as subroutines the forward-backward and Kalman filter recursions. These approximations can be used to learn the model parameters...

Despite their different perspectives, artificial intelligence (AI) and the disciplines of decision science have common roots and strive for similar goals. This paper surveys the potential for addressing problems in representation, inference, knowledge engineering, and explanation within the decision-theoretic framework. Recent analyses of the restrictions of several traditional AI reasoning techniques, coupled with the development of more tractable and expressive decisiontheoretic representation and inference strategies, have stimulated renewed interest in decision theory and decision analysis. We describe early experience with simple probabilistic schemes for automated reasoning, review the dominant expert-system paradigm, and survey some recent research at the crossroads of AI and decision science. In particular, we present the belief network and influence diagram representations. Finally, we discuss issues that have not been studied in detail within the expert-systems sett...

ABayesian network is a probabilistic representation for uncertain relationships, which has proven to be useful for modeling real-world problems. When there are many potential causes of a given e ect, however, both probability assessment and inference using a Bayesian network can be di cult. In this paper, we describe causal independence, a collection of conditional independence assertions and functional relationships that are often appropriate to apply to the representation of the uncertain interactions between causes and e ect. We show how the use of causal independence in a Bayesian network can greatly simplify probability assessment aswell as probabilistic inference. 1

In this paper we propose a new approach to probabilistic inference on belief networks, global conditioning, which is a simple generalization of Pearl's (1986b) method of loopcutset conditioning. We show that global conditioning, as well as loop-cutset conditioning, can be thought of as a special case of the method of Lauritzen and Spiegelhalter (1988) as refined by Jensen et al (1990a; 1990b).

Qualitative Probabilistic Networks (QPNs) are an abstraction of Bayesian belief networks replacing numerical relations by qualitative influences and synergies [ Wellman, 1990b ] . To reason in a QPN is to find the effect of new evidence on each node in terms of the sign of the change in belief (increase or decrease). We introduce a polynomial time algorithm for reasoning in QPNs, based on local sign propagation. It extends our previous scheme from singly connected to general multiply connected networks. Unlike existing graph-reduction algorithms, it preserves the network structure and determines the effect of evidence on all nodes in the network. This aids meta-level reasoning about the model and automatic generation of intuitive explanations of probabilistic reasoning. Introduction A formal representation should not use more specificity than needed to support the reasoning required of it. The appropriate degree of specificity or numerical precision will vary depending on what kind o...

Abstract-We describe a method for incrementally constructing belief networks, which are directed acyclic graph representations for probability distributions. We have developed a network-construction language (FRAIW), which is similar to a fonvard-chaining language using data dependencies but has additional features for specifying distributions. A particularly important feature of this language is that it allows the user to conveniently specify conditional probability matrices using stereotyped models of intercausal interaction. Using FRAIW, one can define pa-rameterized classes of probabilistic models. These parameterized models make it possible to apply probabilistic reasoning to problems for which it is impractical to have a single large, static model.

The theory of belief networks offers a relatively new approach for dealing with uncertain information in knowledge-based (expert) systems. In contrast with the heuristic techniques for reasoning with uncertainty employed in many rule-based expert systems, the theory of belief networks is mathematically sound, based on techniques from probability theory. It therefore seems attractive to convert existing rule-based expert systems into belief networks. In this article, we discuss the design of a belief network reformulation of the diagnostic rule-based expert system HEPAR. For the purpose of this experiment, we have studied several typical pieces of medical knowledge represented in the HEPAR system. It turned out that, due to the differences in the type of knowledge represented and in the formalism used to represent uncertainty, much of the medical knowledge required for building the belief network concerned could not be extracted from HEPAR. As a consequence, significant additional knowledge acquisition was required. However, the objects and attributes defined in the HEPAR system, as well as the conditions in production rules mentioning these objects and attributes were useful for guiding the selection of the statistical variables for building the belief network. The mapping of objects and attributes in HEPAR to statistical variables is discussed in detail.

The term Soft Computing (SC) represents the combination of emerging problem-solving technologies such as Fuzzy Logic (FL), Probabilistic Reasoning (PR), Neural Networks (NNs), and Genetic Algorithms (GAs). Each of these technologies provide us with complementary reasoning and searching methods to solve complex, real-world problems. After a brief description of each of these technologies, we will analyze some of their most useful combinations, such as the use of FL to control GAs and NNs parameters; the application of GAs to evolve NNs (topologies or weights) or to tune FL controllers; and the implementation of FL controllers as NNs tuned by backpropagation-type algorithms.

I introduce a temporal belief-network representation of causal independence that a knowledge engineer can use to elicit probabilistic models. Like the current, atemporal belief-network representation of causal independence, the new representation makes knowledge acquisition tractable. Unlike the atemproal representation, however, the temporal representation can simplify inference, and does not require the use of unobservable variables. The representation is less general than is the atemporal representation, but appears to be useful for many practical applications. 1