On the logical and physical combination of evidence in intelligent machines

We give a rigorous interpretation of the ways of combining evidence in Mycin-type expert systems. We demonstrate the probabilistic inexactness of the Mycin model and its incompleteness for combining evidence from quantitative data extracted in well-defined physical systems. Finally, we present a new method of combining evidence including both logical and physical combinations of evidence. the method is applicable to intelligent machines capable of gathering evidence via sensors.