About THEMA
THEMA aims to bring together researchers from knowledge representation (KR) and related communities working on their perspective of abstraction in their fields, with the goal of exchanging theories and methods. This has been an ongoing topic in knowledge presentation for a long time, see, e.g., the work of Giunchiglia and Walsh (1992). However, there is a rising interest in the topic in various disciplines of knowledge representation and related areas, especially in neuro-symbolic reasoning and explainable AI, which makes it the right time to provide a platform for these researchers and actively form a community on the topic of abstraction.
Invited Speakers
Blai Bonet (Pompeu Fabra University, Spain) (cancelled)
Sheila McIlraith (University of Toronto, Canada)
Language as a signal-symbol nexus for human-compatible sequential decision making
Abstract: Striking advances in machine learning are transforming how we build sequential decision-making systems---from conversational agents and logistics planners to robots, and more generally to computer programs that automate a myriad of everyday tasks. The synthesis of decision-making systems from data presents fundamental challenges to how we effectively integrate and leverage human know-how, reflect human norms and preferences, adhere to safety and regulatory constraints, and how we build systems that are taskable by and understandable to the humans they interact with. In this talk, I’ll discuss how language---both formal and natural language—provides a signal-symbol nexus for building human-compatible AI sequential decision-making systems. Not only does language provide an expressive and concise vehicle for communication, but I’ll show that exploiting the compositional syntax and semantics of language can greatly improve the efficiency of learning.
Elena Romanenko (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy)
The Abstract, the Explanatory, and the Logical
Abstract: Once upon a time, there was a user who heard of an ontology that perfectly suited their needs. They found a way to open it and... Depending on what happens next, what follows may become either a fairy tale or a nightmare. In this talk, we will not only revisit some approaches to building abstractions over conceptual models and ontologies, but also explore the philosophical side of the story. What does it mean, from a logical point of view, to construct an abstraction? What role does abstraction play in the explanation process? Does it have explanatory power? What role does the user play, and why should we care about their goals? There is no promise of a happily ever after, but there may be a few clues to help you navigate your own journey.
Dates
- Paper submission:
May 4, 2026 (Extended, AoE) - Notification:
May 28, 2026 (AoE) - Workshop: July 24, 2026
Venue
THEMA will be in the second week of FloC 2026, which will take place in Lisbon, Portugal. FloC 2026 provides further information on the venue here.