[comp.ai] How many knowledge chunks make up an expert

ntm1169@dsac.dla.mil (Mott Given) (11/26/90)

   From time to time I come across statements that a domain expert has
   anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 chunks of knowledge  (the figure varies
   according to the article).  How can anybody possibly come up with a 
   meaningful figure in this area?  How were these numbers calculated?  
   How much knowledge is in a chunk?  Does a chunk of domain expertise have
   very much meaning apart from chunks of common sense and world knowledge?

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Mott Given @ Defense Logistics Agency Systems Automation Center,
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mb@sparrms.ists.ca (Mike Bell) (11/28/90)

I believe that it is the same number as the number of angels that
can balance on the head of a pin.

Now if modern science can answer this simple medievil problem...

kpc00@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (kpc) (12/02/90)

In article <1990Nov28.134802.3789@sparrms.ists.ca> mb@sparrms.ists.ca
(Mike Bell) writes:

   I believe that it is the same number as the number of angels that
   can balance on the head of a pin.

FYI: As I heard it, this was a serious question, and had to do with
something approximately like whether angels had finite size or not.

   Now if modern science can answer this simple medievil problem...

I think that Doug Lenat has tried, for the original problem.  At least
(I think he says) you can estimate how much information a human learns
by multiplying the amount that he tends to learn per unit time over
the time he lives.  You need to make some assumptions, but the idea is
to get a ballpark estimate of at least an upper limit.

I am not saying that this is the bes way to go about it, but it is at
least one approach.  (I think that there is a lot riding on what a
fact really is.)

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