an ontology design pattern to define explanations

An Ontology Design Pattern to Define Explanations

Ilaria Tiddi, Mathieu d’Aquin, Enrico MottaKnowledge Media Institute, The Open University, UK

@IlaTiddi

General problem

We need of a formal definition for an explanation

Explanations?• many systems are based on them (data

analysis)• vague definition• process, components, interactions are

undefined

Motivation: Dedalo

Why? Patterns (observable regularities in data) need to be explained by an expert to be fully understood

Transformed Data

Patterns

Pre-processing

Data Mining Interpreting

Automatically explaining patterns of data

Motivation: Dedalo✚ people look for Daniel Radcliffe at specific times

Why is Daniel Radcliffe popular only at specific times?

live demo: http://linkedu.eu/dedalo/demo

Motivation: Dedalo✚ people look for Daniel Radcliffe at specific times✚ because a new Harry Potter movie is out

Without knowing who Daniel Radcliffe is, the explanation makes no sense


Motivation: Dedalo✚ people look for Daniel Radcliffe at specific times✚ because a new Harry Potter movie is out✪ and because Daniel Radcliffe plays in Harry Potter

Without knowing who Daniel Radcliffe is, the explanation makes no sense unless some context is given too


Challenge

Dedalo needs a formal definition of an explanation • what components ? • which interactions? to differentiate it from a mere correlation

Challenge: how to figure out this definition

ApproachPhilosophy

Neuroscience

Linguistics

Anthropology

Psychology

Artificial Intelligence

How were “explanations” defined in Cognitive Science[1]?

H. Gardner (1985). The mind’s new science: A history of the cognitive revolution.

Contributions/1

Philosophy

Neuroscience

Linguistics

Sociology

Psychology

Computer Science

Surveying “explanations” in Cognitive Science

Structure : ✚ ✚ ✪

“When ✚ happens, then, due to a given set of circumstances ✪, ✚ will occur too because of a given law ”[2]

E. Maaløe (2007). Modes of Explanation: From Rules to Emergence.

Contributions/2

Philosophy

Neuroscience

Linguistics

Sociology

Psychology

Computer Science

Representing the structure as an ontology design pattern

It can be reused, extended and integrated

Explanation in PhilosophyPhilosophy – asking questions and checking answers

Putting in a relation✚ an event ✪ some initial conditions✚ with an output phenomenon according to a set of (empirical or metaphysical) laws

Planets are near ✚; what is near does not twinkle ; therefore, planets do not twinkle ✚ (context ✪: planets)

[Aristotles]

Explanation in PsychologyPsychology – understanding the human cognitive processes

Producing ✪ behavioural changes✚ to a termination condition✚ from set of mechanically interactive entities according to the human capacities

According to psychological theories , Borderline Personality disorder ✚ can be explained by a childhood trauma ✚ (context ✪: a person’s behaviour)

Explanation in NeuroscienceNeuroscience – understanding the human brain

Describing a relationship between✚ an input (cause) variable✚ an output (effect) variable✪ which stable under some interventions without any law nor sufficient conditions

Neuroimaging has proven that humans can do math calculations ✚ because some neurons actively respond to quantities ✚ (context ✪: human capacities)

Explanation in Computer ScienceComputer science – performing human operations with machines

Generating✚ some new knowledge✚ from some starting facts and some prior knowledge✪ under constraints of certain criteria

Enrico, Ilaria and Mathieu submit their paper to KCAP but only Mathieu is accepted and goes ✚, therefore, to go to KCAP ✚, one has to have both submitted and accepted a paper (context ✪: conference submissions)

Explanation in SociologySociology – linking human processes and the sociocultural world

Deriving✚ social regularities✚ from some social behaviours based on some human experience✪ in a social world

Living on your own in Italy is hard: the job opportunities are low** ✚, so Italians live with their parents until later ages ✚ (context ✪: Italy’s social world)

**also, nobody cooks like mom

Explanation in LinguisticsLinguistics – explaining the nature of the human language

Deriving ✚ grammar regularities✚ from a set of facts✪ which are linguistic-specific based on some wellformedness constraints

“*the my book” is not allowed in English ✚ because English does not allow double determiners and “the” and “my” are both determiners ✚ (context ✪: English)

Survey Conclusion

Disciplines changeThe structure and interactions remain the same

✚ ✚ ✪

This structure of an explanation can be represented as an ontology design pattern

part:Event

The Explanation ODP

✚ ✚

When ✚ happens, then, due to a given set of circumstances ✪, ✚ will occur too because of a given law

dul:Theory

sit:Situation✪

Explanation

posterioranterior

setting

condition

basedOn

dul:Agent conceptualisedBy

subPropertyChain:anterior o setting,posterior o setting

condition some sit:Situation

anterior some part:Event and

posterior some part:EventsubclassOf

subclassOf

Language Universal

GrammarLinguistic Fact

Language

The Explanation ODP - Examples

Representing models in Linguistics with E-ODP

✚

✪

✚ Explanation in

Linguisticsposterioranterior

setting setting

condition

basedOn

Law

PhenomenonPhenomenon

Condition


Representing models in Philosophy with E-ODP

✚

✪

✚ Explanation in

Philosophyposterioranterior

setting setting

condition

basedOn

MetaphysicalLaw EmpiricalLaw

subclassOf subclassOf

PriorKnowledge

NewKnowledgeObservation

Constraint


Representing models in Computer Science with E-ODP

✚

✪

✚ Explanation in ComputerScienc

eposterioranterior

setting setting

condition

basedOn

Application on DedaloGiven a data pattern ✚

DedaloExpl Data Pattern posterior

when people search for

Daniel Radcliffe

posteriorDedaloExpl ✚

Application on DedaloGiven a data pattern ✚Find some candidate anterior events ✚ in Linked Data

DedaloExpl Data Patternposterior


Daniel Radcliffe

posterioranterior

Explanans anterior

DedaloExplHarry Potter

movie** The World Cup**

✚✚

Application on DedaloGiven the two events ✚ and ✚



Daniel Radcliffe

posterioranterior

Explanans anterior

DedaloExplHarry Potter

movie** The World Cup**

✚✚

Application on DedaloGiven the two events ✚ and ✚Find in Linked Data the context ✪ in which ✚ and ✚ occur



Daniel Radcliffe

posterioranterior

Explanans anterior

DedaloExp

Daniel Radciffe is the actor

playing Harry Potter

contextcontext

situation

Context

context

context

situation

Harry Potter movie

The World Cup

✪

✚✚

Conclusions and Future WorkIdentifying what is an explanationSurveying how cognitive sciences have defined itFormally modeling it (with instances and examples)

DedaloExpl

Data Pattern

Explanans

Context

Theory

Next?• automatically finding the

theory (not that easy)• refining the pattern • finding other applications• assessing the strength of

two candidate contexts

Many thanks!Do you need (more) explanations?

[email protected]


@IlaTiddi

an ontology design pattern to define explanations

Presentations & Public Speaking