Abstract
M.Sc. (Computer science)
Knowledge
representation
suffers from certain
problems,
which is not a
result
of
the
inadequacies
of
knowledge
representation
schemes, but
of
the
way
in which
they
are used
and
implemented.
In the first part
of
this
dissertation
we
examine
the
relational
model (as
used in
relational
database
management
systems)
and we
examine
frames (a
knowledge
representation
scheme
used in
expert
systems), as
proposed
by M.
Minsky
[MIN75].
We
then
provide
our
own
definition
of
frames. In the
second
part,
we
examine
similarities
between
the
two
models
(the
relational model and
our
frame
model),
establishing
frames
as a
superclass
of
relations.
We
then
define
normalization
for
frames
and
examine
how
normalization
might
solve
some
of
the
problems
we have identified. We then
examine
the
integration
of
knowledge-based
systems
and
database
management
systems
and classify
our
normalization
of
frames as such an
attempt.
We
conclude
by
examining
the
place
of
normalization
within the
expert
system
development
life cycle