No label defined (Q4236364)

This paper is a consistent review essay treating a subclass of the dichotomous models of belief change, namely those models based on belief sets and belief bases. There are important reasons to investigate these models within the field of formal epistemology: (a) Models based on belief sets and belief bases are simple ones; (b) Belief sets are unavoidable: for each dichotomous model there is, at least implicitly, a belief set; (3) The logical properties of these models have been thoroughly investigated and may serve as inspiration for other models of belief. This essay paper has a semi-formal nature: the formal definitions and theorems are just stated in a rigorous manner, referring for the proofs to the original papers. Instead, the focus is on the intuitive motivations of the various constructions. Section 2 deals with the milestone AGM (Alchourrón, Gärdenfors, Makinson) model (1985) that provided a new, more general and versatile formal framework for the studies of belief change. Section 3 treats to belief bases, while Section 4 provides a unified approach to the previously introduced models. Potential further developments are discussed in Section 5. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0908.90003].