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Belief Revision in Probability Theory

2013/03/06 by Pei Wang, Wang, Pei
Computer Science · #AI-based Problem Solving and Planning #Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI) #Bayesian Modeling and Causal Inference #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Logic, Reasoning, and Knowledge

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1303.1517

openalex publication_date 2013/03/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

In a probability-based reasoning system, Bayes' theorem and its variations are often used to revise the system's beliefs. However, if the explicit conditions and the implicit conditions of probability assignments `me properly distinguished, it follows that Bayes' theorem is not a generally applicable revision rule. Upon properly distinguishing belief revision from belief updating, we see that Jeffrey's rule and its variations are not revision rules, either. Without these distinctions, the limitation of the Bayesian approach is often ignored or underestimated. Revision, in its general form, cannot be done in the Bayesian approach, because a probability distribution function alone does not contain the information needed by the operation.

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