Automated Deduction - A Basis for Applications Volume I Foundations - Calculi and Methods Volume II Systems and Implementation Techniques Volume III Applications: 10 (Applied Logic Series) - Tapa blanda

We are invited to deal with mathematical activity in a sys­ tematic way [ ... ] one does expect and look for pleasant surprises in this requirement of a novel combination of psy­ chology, logic, mathematics and technology. Hao Wang, 1970, quoted from(Wang, 1970). The field of mathematics has been a key application area for automated theorem proving from the start, in fact the very first automatically found the­ orem was that the sum of two even numbers is even (Davis, 1983). The field of automated deduction has witnessed considerable progress and in the last decade, automated deduction methods have made their way into many areas of research and product development in computer science. For instance, deduction systems are increasingly used in software and hardware verification to ensure the correctness of computer hardware and computer programs with respect to a given specification. Logic programming, while still falling somewhat short of its expectations, is now widely used, deduc­ tive databases are well-developed and logic-based description and analysis of hard-and software is commonplace today.

The nationwide research project `Deduktion', funded by the `Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)' for a period of six years, brought together almost all research groups within Germany engaged in the field of automated reasoning. Intensive cooperation and exchange of ideas led to considerable progress both in the theoretical foundations and in the application of deductive knowledge. This three-volume book covers these original contributions moulded into the state of the art of automated deduction.
The three volumes are intended to document and advance a development in the field of automated deduction that can now be observed all over the world. Rather than restricting the interest to purely academic research, the focus now is on the investigation of problems derived from realistic applications. In fact industrial applications are already pursued on a trial basis. In consequence the emphasis of the volumes is not on the presentation of the theoretical foundations of logical deduction as such, as in a handbook; rather the books present the concepts and methods now available in automated deduction in a form which can be easily accessed by scientists working in applications outside of the field of deduction. This reflects the strong conviction that automated deduction is on the verge of being fully included in the evolution of technology.
Volume I focuses on basic research in deduction and on the knowledge on which modern deductive systems are based. Volume II presents techniques of implementation and details about system building. Volume III deals with applications of deductive techniques mainly, but not exclusively, to mathematics and the verification of software.
Each chapter was read by two referees, one an international expert from abroad and the other a knowledgeable participant in the national project. It has been accepted for inclusion on the basis of these review reports.
Audience: Researchers and developers in software engineering, formal methods, certification, verification, validation, specification of complex systems and software, expert systems, natural language processing.