The purpose of this workshop on the foundations of Artificial Intelligence is to systematically explore the scope and limits of fundamental approaches to artificial intelligence. In contrast to previous efforts, this workshop is structured to generate genuine discussion and interaction between paradigms. The workshop will have eight sessions in which a careful exposition of each approach will be presented by a founder of that approach, and will then be critiqued by a respected and influential commentator. Each position paper contains two parts. In the first part, the founder states what the basic thesis is, identifies the principles underpinning the method or approach and describes the natural type of problems and tasks in which this approach succeeds. In the second part, the speaker discusses the scope and limits of the approach, identifying particular difficulties and providing a concrete problem that illustrates each. The commentator then critiques the scope and limits of the approach, where it succeeds and why, and where it fails and why. The NSF funds will be used to provide support for conducting the workshop as well as widely disseminating the written materials presented at the workshop and videotapes of the presentation and ensuing discussions.
