Intermediate · Cognitive
Backward chaining
Visual diagram · (in preparation) · Math · (in preparation) · Worked example · 3 difficulty levels.
TL;DR. An inference method that starts from a potential outcome and works backward to find supporting evidence or conditions.
Technical Definition
An inference method that starts from a potential outcome and works backward to find supporting evidence or conditions.
How it works
Backward chaining is a reasoning strategy used in artificial intelligence, particularly in expert systems and theorem provers. It begins with a goal or hypothesis and systematically searches for rules and facts that would support it, working backward from the conclusion to the premises.
Related Concepts
- Expert system — AI programs that mimic the decision-making ability of a human expert using a knowledge base and inference rules.
- Inference engine — A component of an AI system that uses logical rules to deduce new information from a knowledge base.
- Rule-based system — AI systems that use human-defined rules to store and manipulate knowledge.