학술논문

Computer-assisted reasoning
Document Type
Periodical
Source
Computing in Science & Engineering Comput. Sci. Eng. Computing in Science & Engineering. 3(2):71-77 Apr, 2001
Subject
Computing and Processing
Bioengineering
Communication, Networking and Broadcast Technologies
Visualization
Humans
Uncertainty
Power engineering computing
Petroleum
Military computing
Testing
Design engineering
Knowledge engineering
Power engineering and energy
Language
ISSN
1521-9615
1558-366X
Abstract
Over the past few years, a novel approach to understanding complex and uncertain problems has emerged. The central insight is to conceive of any model run on a computer as a computational experiment. Instead of constructing and running only the single model that we believe best represents the system in question (after making various assumptions and a priori decisions), we can examine large numbers of models that depict alternative plausible future states of the system. This ensemble of plausible models can provide information not captured by any single best-estimate model. Furthermore, working with such an ensemble enables methodological approaches leading to more powerful and appropriate means than have heretofore been available for reasoning about these problems. By looking in many mirrors, each necessarily flawed (albeit in different ways), we can see truths that no single mirror can reveal. The authors show how they have implemented this approach, giving examples of problems where it has been fruitful.