We propose a simple approach to combining first-order logic and probabilistic graphical models in a single representation.
A Markov logic network (MLN) is a first-order knowledge base with a weight attached to each formula (or clause). Together
with a set of constants representing objects in the domain, it specifies a ground Markov network containing one feature for
each possible grounding of a first-order formula in the KB, with the corresponding weight. Inference in MLNs is performed
by MCMC over the minimal subset of the ground network required for answering the query. Weights are efficiently learned from
relational databases by iteratively optimizing a pseudo-likelihood measure. Optionally, additional clauses are learned using
inductive logic programming techniques. Experiments with a real-world database and knowledge base in a university domain illustrate
the promise of this approach.
Keywords Statistical relational learning - Markov networks - Markov random fields - Log-linear models - Graphical models - First-order logic - Satisfiability - Inductive logic programming - Knowledge-based model construction - Markov chain Monte Carlo - Pseudo-likelihood - Link prediction
Editors: Hendrik Blockeel, David Jensen and Stefan Kramer
An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10994-006-8633-8.