Research Interests

 

Current Projects

Studies in Formal Logics, Uncertainty, and the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence

I have a long-standing interest in the study of intelligence and the development of mathematical models of natural human reasoning.  This has led to a theory of ``qualified syllogisms'', which can be applied to some well-known problems in the field of nonmonotonic reasoning.  That work includes a new kind of logical formalism, dubbed Dynamic Reasoning Systems, which explicitly portray reasoning as an activity that takes place in time.  Another work has built on these ideas to create a Layman's Probability Theory for reasoning with linguistic likelihood (involving terms such as “likely,” “very likely,” “somewhat likely,” “unlikely,” etc.).  More recently I have applied these same methodologies to develop a model for agent-oriented epistemic reasoning, i.e., deductions involving dispositions of knowledge and belief and employed my notion of dynamic reasoning to formulate a process of belief revision.

Digital Libraries, Knowledge Management, and Applications for the Internet

Beginning in 1996 I undertook a project to develop a next-generation knowledge management system.  This applies recent advances in artificial intelligence, 2D and 3D graphics, and Internet/intranet technology to the development of indexes for large distributed digital libraries.  These indexes take the form of concept taxonomies (semantic networks, ontologies) having a much richer semantic structure than simple trees.  In addition, the indexes are created by their own communities of users and thus comprise knowledge bases that grow and evolve over time.  An underlying semantics and reasoning algorithms will be provided that will enable users to query the index as to the deeper relations between classification categories.  Advanced graphics techniques will be employed to facilitate browsing, to help users find their way through these more complex structures without becoming lost or confused. I continue to develop the various components of this system through an ongoing series of masters degree programming projects.

Network Security, Intrusion Detection Systems

In May 2001 I became part of an eleven-investigator research project to study problems of critical infrastructure protection for the US Army. I am working in collaboration with Sara Stoecklin, also at FSU, to develop a case-based reasoning (CBR) system for network intrusion detection. We also employ two research assistants. The current effort is to devise a CBR system that replicates the functionality of the well-known Snort intrusion detection package, together with add-on modules such as SnortSnarf that interpret and summarize the Snort output data.  Once this is accomplished, we will then seek to build in higher levels of intelligence, enabling more sophisticated and accurate alerting capabilities.

 Selected Publications

(I don't have postscript for the final versions of these papers.  If you would like copies, please send me email with your postal address.)

·        Agent-oriented epistemic reasoning: subjective conditions of knowledge and belief (draft copy), Artificial Intelliogence, in review.

·        Layman's probability theory: a calculus for reasoning with linguistic likelihood, Information Sciences, 126, 1-4 (2000) 71--82.

·        Time, nonmonotonicity, qualified syllogisms, and the frame problem, Journal of Intelligent Systems, 8, 3-4 (1998) 315—355.

·        Dynamic reasoning with qualified syllogisms, Artificial Intelligence, 93, 1-2 (1997) 103--167.

·        Chung, H.-T.  and Schwartz, D.G., A resolution-based system for symbolic approximate reasoning, International Journal of Approximate Reasoning, 13, 3 (1995) 201--246.

·        Schwartz, D.G., Klir, G.J., Lewis, H., and Ezawa, Y., Applications of fuzzy sets and approximate reasoning, Proceedings of the IEEE, 82, 4 (1994) 482--498.

·        Schwartz, D.G. and Klir, G.J., Fuzzy logic flowers in Japan, IEEE Spectrum, 29, 7 (1992) 32--35.