---
title: "Using Model Theory to Specify AI Programs"
authors:
  - "Alan M. Frisch"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1985/27"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1985/0027.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Ninth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1985
pages: "148-153"
track: "Automated Reasoning"
keywords:
---

# Using Model Theory to Specify AI Programs

Alan M. Frisch

*Proceedings of the Ninth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 148-153.

## Abstract

This paper proposes a method for adapting the traditional devices of model theory to the task of specifying the input / output behavior of artificial intelligence reasoning programs when viewed as inference engines . The method is illustrated by specifying two programs, one a toy example and the other a program for retrieving information from a declarative knowledge base. Close examination shows tha t many intuitions about the properties of a retriever can be stated rigorously in terms of inference and that the model-theoretic specification can then be used to prove that the retriever has these propert i es .