metarule
Definition
Noun: A higher-level rule that governs the application, selection, or modification of other rules. It is a rule about rules, often used in systems of logic, artificial intelligence, and knowledge representation to control the inference process.
Usage
A metarule is used to manage or guide the use of a set of primary rules within a formal system. It does not directly process data but dictates how and when the underlying rules should be applied.
Examples
- In expert systems, a metarule might determine which production rule to fire first when several are applicable.
- The programmer wrote a metarule to prioritize safety protocols over efficiency protocols in the robotic control system.
- A simple metarule in logic programming could be: "If rule A and rule B both apply, always apply rule A first."
Advanced Usage
- In Artificial Intelligence: Metarules are crucial for controlling search strategies and conflict resolution in rule-based systems, helping to manage complexity and prevent infinite loops.
- In Legal Systems: One can think of constitutional principles as metarules that govern how ordinary laws should be created and interpreted.
Variants and Related Words
- Metaknowledge (n): Knowledge about knowledge, or information about the properties and structure of a knowledge base, which can include metarules.
- Metalevel (n): A level of description or control that deals with the system at a higher level of abstraction.
Synonyms
- Control rule
- Heuristic (when used as a guiding principle for rule application)
- Rule schema
Related Phrases
- Conflict resolution strategy: This is often the practical outcome of applying a metarule when multiple primary rules are in contention.
- Rule ordering: A common function of a metarule is to impose a specific order on the evaluation of other rules.
Noun
-
a rule that describes how other rules should be used (as in AI)
