Report Number: CS-TR-77-618
Institution: Stanford University, Department of Computer Science
Title: A production system for automatic deduction
Author: Nilsson, Nils J.
Date: August 1977
Abstract: A new predicate calculus deduction system based on production rules is proposed. The system combines several developments in Artificial Intelligence and Automatic Theorem Proving research including the use of domain-specific inference rules and separate mechanisms for forward and backward reasoning. It has a clean separation between the data base, the production rules, and the control system. Goals and subgoals are maintained in an AND/OR tree to represent assertions. The production rules modify these structures untll they "connect" in a fashion that proves the goal theorem. Unlike some previous systems that used production rules, ours is not limited to rules in Horn Clause form. Unlike previous PLANNER-like systems, ours can handle the full range of predicate calculus expressions including those with quantified variables, disjunctions and negations.
http://i.stanford.edu/pub/cstr/reports/cs/tr/77/618/CS-TR-77-618.pdf