On the Role of Abstraction Towards Generalizable Reasoning: A Survey of Tasks, Methods, Applications, and Future Directions

PhD Qualifying Examination


Title: "On the Role of Abstraction Towards Generalizable Reasoning: A 
Survey of Tasks, Methods, Applications, and Future Directions"

by

Mr. Weiqi WANG


Abstract:

Abstraction, as a fundamental element in human cognition, plays a pivotal role 
in generalizable reasoning. It involves abstracting specific instances into 
diverse concepts and forming abstract knowledge that can be utilized in 
unfamiliar or novel situations, which fosters creative problem- solving, 
enhances decision-making, and promotes adaptability in a wide range of 
contexts. Despite its significance, there is currently a lack of a systematic 
overview that comprehensively examines existing works in the definition, 
execution, and application of abstraction to enhance reasoning tasks. In this 
paper, we aim to bridge this gap by presenting the first survey that 
taxonomizes various definitions, resources, tasks, methods, and downstream 
applications related to abstraction. Furthermore, we shed light on potential 
future directions in this vital field and hope to garner more attention from 
the community.


Date:                   Friday, 31 May 2024

Time:                   4:00pm - 6:00pm

Venue:                  Room 4475
                        Lifts 25/26

Committee Members:      Dr. Yangqiu Song (Supervisor)
                        Prof. Albert Chung (Chairperson)
                        Dr. Junxian He
                        Dr. Wei Wang