Meta-level knowledge: overview and applications

Abstract

We define the concept of meta-level Knowledge, and illustrate it by briefly reviewing four examples that have been described in detail elsewhere (2-5). The examples include applications of the idea to tasks such as transfer of expertise from a domain expert to a program, and the maintenance and use of large Knowledge bases. We explore common themes that arise from these examples, and examine broader implications of the idea, in particular its impact on the design and construction of large programs. This work was supported in part by the Bureau of Health Sciences Research and Evaluation of HEW under Grant HS-01544 and by the Advanced Research Projects Agency under ARPA Order 2494. It was carried out on the SUMEX-AIM Computer System, supported by the NIH under Grant RR-00785. The views expressed are solely those of the author.