Learning Boolean Functions in an Infinite Attribute Space

Abstract

This paper presents a theoretical model for learning Boolean functions in domains having a large, potentially infinite number of attributes. The model allows an algorithm to employ a rich vocabulary to describe the objects it encounters in the world without necessarily incurring time and space penalties so long as each individual object is relatively simple. We show that many of the basic Boolean functions learnable in standard theoretical models, such as conjunctions, disjunctions, K -CNF, and K -DNF, are still learnable in the new model, though by algorithms no longer quite so trivial as before. The new model forces algorithms for such classes to act in a manner that appears more natural for many learning scenarios.