Abstract

"[I]t is the thesis of this book," the author says, "that practical reasoning is the type of reasoning characteristic of expert problem solving and expert reasoning generally". This idea is worked out by giving an account of practical reasoning and of the nature of actions, agents, and intentions, which is supposed to be based on the sort of artificial intelligence programs known as "expert systems." Throughout the book an attempt is made to use the reasoning, and sometimes the terminology, of programs such as MYCIN and languages such as PROLOG to throw light on philosophical issues in practical reasoning.