Qualitative Decision Theory Via Channel Theory

• Authors: Gerard Allwein , Yingrui Yang , William L. Harrison
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

We recast parts of decision theory in terms of channel theory concentrating on qualitative issues. Channel theory allows one to move between model theoretic and language theoretic notions as is necessary for an adequate covering. Doing so clarifies decision theory and presents the opportunity to investigate alternative formulations. As an example, we take some of Savage’s notions of decision theory and recast them within channel theory. In place of probabilities, we use a particular logic of preference. We introduce a logic for describing actions separate from the logic of preference over actions. The structures introduced by channel theory that represent the decision problems can be seen to be an abstract framework. This frame- work is very accommodating to changing the nature of the decision problems to handle different aspects or theories about decision making.

Keywords

EN

Decision theory; channel theory; logics of preference; world de- cision problems

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń)
• Journal: Logic and Logical Philosophy
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 1-2
• Pages: 81-110

Dates

published

2011-06-01

online

2013-07-02

Contributors

author

Gerard Allwein

• Center for High Assurance Computer Systems, Code 5540 Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC 20375, USA

author

Yingrui Yang

• Department of Cognitive Science Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York, USA

author

William L. Harrison

• Department of Computer Science University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri, USA

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Identifiers

DOI

10.12775/LLP.2011.005