Computational and cognitive models of configurative synthesis

A prototypical computational model of constrained configurative synthesis (CCS), which involves combining a set of components into a functional whole, is described. A number of expert systems for widely diverse applications are briefly reviewed. Common features of these systems are then abstracted to indicate the general heuristics employed by experts in various domains. Next, a generic computational framework is outlined for the CCS problems. The author concludes by suggesting CCS as a basic cognitive mechanism underlying the organization and processing of knowledge structures