Why does prior knowledge help?
Many hypotheses are consistent with a set of examples
- Gumbel: “Mats Vilander has just won the French Open. This is a good omen for the Lakers. Vilander won the last time the Lakers beat the Celtics for the championship.”
- Heinson: “Not only that, but the Lakers are outrebounding the Celtics 23 to 11.”
Several hypotheses are consistent with prior knowledge
- Only adults can inflate any balloon
- Anyone can inflate a balloon that has been stretched
- Only adults can inflate a balloon that has been stretched
- Adults can inflate any balloon or children can inflate a balloon that has been stretched
Few Hypotheses are consistent with both.