This article is about forward chaining inference engines. For forward chaining as an instructional procedure, see Chaining.
Forward chaining (or forward reasoning) is one of the two main methods of reasoning when using an inference engine and can be described logically as repeated application of modus ponens. Forward chaining is a popular implementation strategy for expert systems, business and production rule systems. The opposite of forward chaining is backward chaining.
Forward chaining starts with the available data and uses inference rules to extract more data (from an end user, for example) until a goal is reached. An inference engine using forward chaining searches the inference rules until it finds one where the antecedent (If clause) is known to be true. When such a rule is found, the engine can conclude, or infer, the consequent (Then clause), resulting in the addition of new information to its data.[1]
Inference engines will iterate through this process until a goal is reached.
^Feigenbaum, Edward (1988). The Rise of the Expert Company. Times Books. p. 318. ISBN 0-8129-1731-6.
Forwardchaining (or forward reasoning) is one of the two main methods of reasoning when using an inference engine and can be described logically as repeated...
– the other is forwardchaining. Backward chaining systems usually employ a depth-first search strategy, e.g. Prolog. Backward chaining starts with a list...
three different types of chaining that can be used and they are forwardchaining, backward chaining, and total task chaining (not to be confused with...
rule or facts: forwardchaining and backward chaining. Forwardchaining starts with the known facts and asserts new facts. Backward chaining starts with...
logic to perform reasoning; inference commonly proceeds by forwardchaining and backward chaining. There are also examples of probabilistic reasoners, including...
assertion. There are mainly two modes for an inference engine: forwardchaining and backward chaining. The different approaches are dictated by whether the inference...
deterministic engine. These rules engines may forgo both forwardchaining and backward chaining, and instead utilize domain-specific language approaches...
object oriented and logical (theorem proving) languages. CLIPS uses forwardchaining. Like other expert system languages, CLIPS deals with rules and facts...
In probability theory, Kolmogorov equations, including Kolmogorov forward equations and Kolmogorov backward equations, characterize continuous-time Markov...
Pay it forward is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others rather than paying it back to the original...
of type Q. In artificial intelligence, modus ponens is often called forwardchaining. The modus ponens rule may be written in sequent notation as P → Q...
base, e.g. forwardchaining versus backward chaining. However, in opportunistic reasoning, pieces of knowledge may be applied either forward or backward...
system. In the KEE knowledge base, rules are frames. Both forwardchaining and backward chaining inference are available. KEE supports non-monotonic reasoning...
recursive reasoning methods they employ are termed 'forward chaining' and 'backward chaining', respectively. Although reasoning systems widely support deductive...
theorem prover; translate OWL-DL into rules and give the rules to a forwardchaining engine (Bossam) (this approach cannot cover the full expressivity of...
envisaged covering both forward and backward chaining rule engines. However, the lack of vendor support for / interest in backward chaining caused this to be...
space. Forward Search and Backward Search are two of main samples of state space planning. Forward search is an algorithm that searches forward from the...
so that those parts can be taught through the use of chaining: forwardchaining, backward chaining and total task presentation. Task analysis has been...
product, Nexpert, was a C-based, goal-oriented backward chaining and data-driven forwardchaining expert system shell for the Macintosh in 1985. The product...
logic to perform reasoning; inference commonly proceeds by forwardchaining and backward chaining. semantic query Allows for queries and analytics of associative...
data), and the inclusion of a backward chaining algorithm tailored to run on top of the Rete network. Backward chaining alone can account for the most extreme...
Expert systems can operate in either a forwardchaining – from evidence to conclusions – or backward chaining – from goals to needed data and prerequisites...
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