Logic Visualization Machine

摘要

A logic visualization machine that uses dynamic physical analog pictograms to illustrate logical argument structures. With this approach, an analysis of alternative hypotheses is presented in a side-by-side comparison in which each hypothesis is visualized by a similar physical analog pictogram. Elements of evidence are illustrated as physical analog components in the pictograms and ascribed to each pictogram on a consistent basis allowing dynamic adjustment of the pictogram to visually represent the comparative weighting of the evidence in the competing hypotheses. The invention further includes mechanism for incorporating and visualizing logical complexities into the pictograms, including logical operations (e.g., and, or and xor groups) and nested statements. Logic trees and the entry points for individual pieces of evidence can be readily revealed. Quantitative factors including the valence assigned to evidence and validity assessments are made explicit and exposed visually within the pictogram construct.

主权项

1. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing computer executable instructions for causing a logic visualization machine to perform a method comprising the steps of:
displaying a user interface for creating, visualizing and modifying a logical argument and interacting with a user through the user interface to create a computer model the logical argument; depicting a hypothesis of the logical argument as a dynamic physical analog pictogram in which a computed validity of the hypothesis is represented by a visual aspect of the pictogram having physical significance within the physical analog of the pictogram; depicting an item of evidence as a dynamic icon within the pictogram having physical significance within the physical analog of the pictogram; assigning a valence value to the dynamic icon defining a magnitude of influence that the item of evidence has on the hypothesis and depicting the valence value as a visual aspect of the dynamic icon having physical significance within the physical analog of the pictogram; assigning a direction to the dynamic icon defining whether the influence is supporting or detracting the computed validity of the hypothesis and depicting the direction as a visual aspect of the dynamic icon having physical significance within the physical analog of the pictogram; assigning or computing a validity value for the dynamic icon defining a confidence in validity of the item of evidence and depicting the validity value as a visual aspect of the dynamic icon having physical significance within the physical analog of the pictogram; computing a validity effect of the item of evidence on the computed validity of the hypothesis based on the valence value, direction, and validity value of the item of evidence and depicting the validity effect as a change to the visual aspect of the pictogram representing the computed validity of the hypothesis.