Goal-Driven Similarity Assessment

Abstract

While most approaches to similarity assessment are oblivious of knowledge and goals, there is ample evidence that these elements of problem solving play an important role in similarity judgements. This paper is concerned with an approach for integrating assessment of similarity into a framework of problem solving that embodies central notions of problem solving like goals, knowledge and learning. We review empirical findings that unravel characteristics of similarity assessment most of which have not been covered by purely syntactic models of similarity. A formal account of similarity assessment that allows for the integration of central ideas of problem solving is developed. Given a goal and a domain theory, an appropriate perspective is taken that brings into focus only goal-relevant features of a problem description as input to similarity assessment.