


What is a Reasoner? Definition, Types, and Applications
A reasoner is an artificial intelligence (AI) system that is designed to reason about knowledge and make decisions based on that knowledge. Reasoners are often used in expert systems, which are computer programs that mimic the decision-making abilities of a human expert in a particular domain.
A reasoner typically uses logical reasoning techniques to draw conclusions from the knowledge it has been given. For example, if a reasoner has been told that "all humans are mortal" and "Socrates is human," it might conclude that "Socrates is mortal." The reasoner can also use its knowledge to answer questions and provide explanations for its conclusions.
Some common applications of reasoners include:
1. Expert systems: Reasoners can be used to create expert systems that can provide advice and make decisions in a particular domain, such as medical diagnosis or financial planning.
2. Natural language processing: Reasoners can be used to understand natural language and answer questions based on the meaning of the text.
3. Automated reasoning: Reasoners can be used to automate logical reasoning tasks, such as proving mathematical theorems or evaluating legal arguments.
4. Knowledge management: Reasoners can be used to organize and manage large amounts of knowledge, such as in a knowledge base or a database.
There are several types of reasoners, including:
1. Forward reasoners: These reasoners start with a set of premises and use logical rules to derive conclusions.
2. Backward reasoners: These reasoners start with a conclusion and use logical rules to find the premises that led to that conclusion.
3. Abductive reasoners: These reasoners use both forward and backward reasoning to find the most likely explanation for a given set of facts.
4. Deductive reasoners: These reasoners use logical rules to deduce conclusions from a set of premises.
Some examples of reasoners include:
1. CLIPS (C Language Integrated Production System): A rule-based expert system that uses a reasoner to draw conclusions from a knowledge base.
2. JESS (Java Expert System Shell): A rule-based expert system that uses a reasoner to reason about knowledge and make decisions.
3. Cyc: A large-scale knowledge base and reasoner that can answer questions and provide explanations for its conclusions.
4. Answer Set Programming (ASP): A programming paradigm that uses a reasoner to find solutions to logical problems.



