The Computational Support of Scientific Discovery

In this paper, we review AI research on computational discovery and its recent application to the discovery of new scienti"c knowledge. We characterize "ve historical stages of the scienti"c discovery process, which we use as an organizational framework in describing applications. We also identify "ve distinct steps during which developers or users can in#uence the behavior of a computational discovery system. Rather than criticizing such intervention, as done in the past, we recommend it as the preferred approach to using discovery software. As evidence for the advantages of such human}computer cooperation, we report seven examples of novel, computer-aided discoveries that have appeared in the scienti"c literature. We consider brie#y the role that humans played in each case, then examine one such interaction in more detail. We close by recommending that future systems provide more explicit support for human intervention in the discovery process. ( 2000 Academic Press