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

三位一体思维是人类认识、理解和解决问题的一个经常出现的主题，例如，一个整体的三个部分，一个系统或理论的三个组成部分，一个问题的三个视角/角度，三个阶段/时代，三个层次的理解等。2009年，申请人提出并一直在研究三位一体思维和处理的三向决策理论。建议的研究方案继续对该理论及其应用进行研究。 三向决策可以有两个目的：(A)建立认知工具，帮助我们进行三分或三分思考，以及(B)基于相同的原则设计和实现智能系统。出于这些目的，一个长期的、广泛的目标是通过将其构建为一个多学科和跨学科的研究来形成一个三向决策的理论。另一个长期、具体的目标是调查三方决策在设计和实施智能系统中的影响和应用。遵循三位一体的思维哲学，短期目标和相关的研究活动被归类为三个完整的部分：基础、理论和模型以及应用。 我和我的学生将通过接受不同领域和学科的想法来研究三人思维的哲学及其认知基础和优势。我们将全面构建三位一体的框架。三分法将一个整体划分为三个截然不同且相互关联的部分，而行动则设计了有效的策略来作用于这三个部分。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，以创造三向分析、三向聚类、三向分类、三向推荐等新方法。我们将调查大数据分析的三方决策。我们将构建原型系统来验证三方决策的价值和我们的理论发现。 三向决策通过使用可管理和有意义的三个部分，即三分为一的思维、三分为一的行动和三分为一的征服，将复杂转化为简单。三方决策的认知工具可以让我们更好地处理复杂性。根据凯利(IBM高级副总裁)的说法，我们现在正处于计算进化中认知时代的“最具变革性的阶段”。通过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中的一类特殊类型，来得正是时候，也将在未来兴起。拟议的研究计划预计将产生广泛和持久的社会、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.