Logic of Belief Revision
Updated 2026-09-10
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
In the logic of belief revision, a belief state is represented by a set of sentences. The main changes are introducing or deleting a sentence expressing a belief, and either change may require adjusting other sentences, for instance to preserve consistency. Rationality postulates for these operations have been proposed, and representation theorems characterize the various operations in terms of those postulates.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Handle conflict: when new evidence contradicts old beliefs, choose by the principle of minimal change. - Set priorities: rank beliefs by firmness so that it is clear which is abandoned first. - Keep consistency: prevent an inconsistent belief set from entailing anything at all, preserving valid inference.
Anchor fast decisions
If new information conflicts with existing beliefs, it cannot simply be added, since the belief set would become inconsistent and an inconsistent set entails everything in classical logic. Revision therefore follows the principle of minimal change: keep as many old beliefs as possible while accommodating the new information, and let the firmness of beliefs decide which are given up first.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- plato.stanford.eduhttps://plato.stanford.edu/entries/logic-belief-revision/verified
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