science

Knowledge level

Knowledge level is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Knowledge level rather than just read about it. In short: In artificial intelligence, knowledge-based agents draw on a pool of logical sentences to infer conclusions about the world. At the knowledge level, we only need to specify what the agent knows and what its goals are; a logical abstraction separate from details of implementation.

Key takeaways

Knowledge level belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Knowledge level to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Knowledge level from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In artificial intelligence, knowledge-based agents draw on a pool of logical sentences to infer conclusions about the world. At the knowledge level, we only need to specify what the agent knows and what its goals are; a logical abstraction separate from details of implementation. This notion of knowledge level was first introduced by Allen Newell in the 1980s, to have a way to rationalize an agent's behavior. The agent takes actions based on knowledge it possesses, in an attempt to reach specific goals. It chooses actions according to the principle of rationality. Beneath the knowledge level resides the symbol level. Whereas the knowledge level is world oriented, namely that it concerns the environment in which the agent operates, the symbol level is system oriented, in that it includes the mechanisms the agent has available to operate. The knowledge level rationalizes the agent's behavior, while the symbol level mechanizes the agent's behavior. For example, in a computer program, the knowledge level consists of the information contained in its data structures that it uses to perform certain actions. The symbol level consists of the program's algorithms, the data structures themselves, and so on.

See also Knowledge level modeling Knowledge relativity

References T. Menzies. Applications of Abduction: Knowledge-Level Modeling. November 1996. A. Newell. The Knowledge Level. Artificial Intelligence, 18(1):87-127, 1982.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Knowledge level

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Knowledge level claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Knowledge level before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Knowledge level ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Knowledge level

In research: Knowledge level appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Knowledge level in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Knowledge level is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Artificial intelligence, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Knowledge level outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Knowledge level in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Knowledge level means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Knowledge level out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Knowledge level in simple terms?

Why does Knowledge level matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Knowledge level?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Knowledge level.