Related papers: Basic requirements for proven-in-use arguments
We derive novel conditions that guarantee convergence of the Sum-Product algorithm (also known as Loopy Belief Propagation or simply Belief Propagation) to a unique fixed point, irrespective of the initial messages. The computational…
Analyzing decision problems under uncertainty commonly relies on idealizing assumptions about the describability of the world, with the most prominent examples being the closed world and the small world assumption. Most assumptions are…
Recent research increasingly brings to question the appropriateness of using predictive tools in complex, real-world tasks. While a growing body of work has explored ways to improve value alignment in these tools, comparatively less work…
Probabilistic model checking is an approach to the formal modelling and analysis of stochastic systems. Over the past twenty five years, the number of different formalisms and techniques developed in this field has grown considerably, as…
Current legal outcome prediction models - a staple of legal NLP - do not explain their reasoning. However, to employ these models in the real world, human legal actors need to be able to understand the model's decisions. In the case of…
The reference point for developing any artefact is its specification; to develop software formally, a formal specification is required. For sequential programs, pre and post conditions (together with abstract objects) suffice; rely and…
The safety of automated driving systems must be justified by convincing arguments and supported by compelling evidence to persuade certification agencies, regulatory entities, and the general public to allow the systems on public roads.…
To solve hard problems, AI relies on a variety of disciplines such as logic, probabilistic reasoning, machine learning and mathematical programming. Although it is widely accepted that solving real-world problems requires an integration…
Using Machine Learning systems in the real world can often be problematic, with inexplicable black-box models, the assumed certainty of imperfect measurements, or providing a single classification instead of a probability distribution. This…
Real-life conjectures do not come with instructions saying whether they they should be proven or, instead, refuted. Yet, as we now know, in either case the final argument produced had better be not just convincing but actually verifiable in…
Although conventional logical systems based on logical calculi have been successfully used in mathematics and beyond, they have definite limitations that restrict their application in many cases. For instance, the principal condition for…
Precondition inference is a non-trivial task with several applications in program analysis and verification. We present a novel iterative method for automatically deriving sufficient preconditions for safety and unsafety of programs which…
An inductive inference system for proving validity of formulas in the initial algebra $T_{\mathcal{E}}$ of an order-sorted equational theory $\mathcal{E}$ is presented. It has 20 inference rules, but only 9 of them require user interaction;…
Modern engineering systems include many components of different types and functions. Verifying that these systems satisfy given specifications can be an arduous task, as most formal verification methods are limited to systems of moderate…
In the domain of software engineering, our efforts as researchers to advise industry on which software practices might be applied most effectively are limited by our lack of evidence based information about the relationships between context…
Confidence is central to safety and assurance cases: how much confidence a decision requires and how much the argument actually provides are both important questions. We present a new method for assessing probabilistic confidence in…
This paper explores the application of automated planning to automated theorem proving, which is a branch of automated reasoning concerned with the development of algorithms and computer programs to construct mathematical proofs. In…
A product line approach can save valuable resources by reusing artifacts. Especially for software artifacts, the reuse of existing components is highly desirable. In recent literature, the creation of software product lines is mainly…
This position paper argues that decisions on processes, tools, techniques and software artifacts (such as user manuals, unit tests, design documents and code) for scientific software development should be driven by science, not by personal…
Formal methods were frequently shown to be effective and, perhaps because of that, practitioners are interested in using them more often. Still, these methods are far less applied than expected, particularly, in critical domains where they…