Theory and Applications of Three-Way Decisions in Intelligent Information Systems

三分思维是人类在认识、理解和解决问题中经常出现的主题，例如，整体的三个部分，一个系统或理论的三个组成部分，一个问题的三个观点/角度，进化的三个阶段/时代，三个理解层次等。2009年，申请人提出了一种三向决策理论，用于三人思维和三人处理。拟议的研究计划将继续对该理论及其应用进行调查。******三方决策可以有两个目的：(a)建立认知工具，帮助我们以三分法或三分法思考，(b)基于相同的原则设计和实施智能系统。出于这些目的，一个长期的、广泛的目标是通过将其作为一个多学科和跨学科的研究框架来制定一个三方决策的理论。另一个长期的、具体的目标是研究三方决策在设计和实现智能系统中的影响和应用。遵循三分思维的哲学，短期目标和相关的研究活动分为三个完整的部分：基础、理论和模型以及应用。******我的学生和我将通过接受来自不同领域和学科的想法来研究一种“三”思维哲学及其认知基础和优势。我们将全面建立“三位一体”和“三位一体”框架。三分法将一个整体划分为三个各具特色又相互关联的部分，并设计出有效的策略来针对这三个部分采取行动。在这个框架内，我们将研究具体的模型，如统计模型和序列模型。我们将把三向决策与其他理论联系起来，以创造新的三向分析、三向聚类、三向分类、三向推荐等方法。我们将研究大数据分析的三方决策。我们将建立原型系统来验证三方决策的价值和我们的理论发现。******三方决策通过使用可管理和有意义的三部分，即三颗粒思考，三分割和行动，三分割和征服，将复杂变为简单。三方决策的认知工具可以让我们更好地处理复杂性。根据Kelly （IBM高级副总裁）的说法，我们现在正处于计算进化的认知时代的“最变革阶段”。利用人类的洞察力和直觉，利用机器的存储和速度，体现人类思维的人机共生是一个高红利的研究方向。三向决策作为人类思维方式的一种特殊类别，来得正是时候，并将在未来兴起。拟议的研究计划预计将产生广泛而持久的社会、教育和技术影响。

Thinking in threes is a frequently occurring theme in human knowing, understanding, and problem solving, for example, three parts of a whole, three components of a system or a theory, three perspectives/angles of an issue, three stages/eras of evolution, three levels of understanding, etc. In 2009, the applicant suggested, and has been working on, a theory of three-way decisions for thinking and processing in threes. The proposed research program continues the investigation of the theory and its applications.******Three-way decisions can have two purposes: (a) to build cognitive tools that aid us in thinking in threes or trichotomies, and (b) to design and implement intelligent systems based on the same principles. For these purposes, a long-term, broad objective is to formulate a theory of three-way decisions by framing it as a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary study. Another long-term, specific objective is to investigate the implications and applications of three-way decisions in designing and implementing intelligent systems. Following the philosophy of thinking in threes, short-term objectives and associated research activities are grouped into three integrative parts: Foundations, theory and models, and applications.******My students and I will investigate a philosophy of thinking in threes and its cognitive basis and advantages by embracing ideas from different fields and disciplines. We will fully develop a trisecting-and-acting framework. Trisecting divides a whole into three distinctive and related parts and acting devises effective strategies to act upon the three parts. Within this framework, we will study concrete models, such as statistical models and sequential models. We will connect three-way decisions to other theories, in order to create novel methods of three-way analysis, three-way clustering, three-way classification, three-way recommendation, and many more. We will investigate three-way decisions for big data analytics. We will build prototype systems to validate the value of three-way decisions and our theoretical findings.******Three-way decisions turn complexity into simplicity by using manageable and meaningful three parts, i.e., thinking in three granules, trisecting-and-acting, and trisect-and-conquer. Cognitive tools of three-way decisions can empower us to better deal with complexity. According to Kelly (IBM senior vice president), we are now at the “most transformational phase” of the cognitive era in the computing's evolution. By taking advantage of humans for insights and intuition and of machines for storage and speed, human-machine symbiosis embodying human thinking is a high-dividend research direction. Three-way decisions, as a special class of human ways to think, come at the right time and will rise in the future. The proposed research program is expected to have wide-range and long-lasting social, educational, and technological impacts.