Study evaluates counterfactual explanations using Pearl's method.
problem Bias in counterfactual explanations generated from machine learning models.
method Evaluates counterfactual explanations using Judea Pearl's counterfactual method.
result Thirty percent of counterfactual explanations conflicted with Pearl's method.
The vision systems of the eagle and the snake outperform everything that we can make in the laboratory, but snakes and eagles cannot build an eyeglass or a telescope or a microscope. (Judea Pearl)
Machine learning benefits from causal inference concepts.
problem Machine learning's hard problems are related to causality.
method Introduces key concepts linking machine learning and causal inference.
result Machine learning and AI's challenges are intertwined with causality.
Causal discovery algorithms can help generate legal arguments.
problem Leveraging causal discovery algorithms in legal decision-making.
method Prepared a legal dataset, annotated with 17 legal concepts, applied causal discovery algorithms, and quantified degrees of belief.
result Some causal relationships help generate viable legal arguments.
Latent tree models are graphical models defined on trees, in which only a subset of variables is observed. They were first discussed by Judea Pearl as tree-decomposable distributions to generalise star-decomposable distributions such as the latent class model. Latent tree models, or their submodels, are widely used in:…
This paper provides efficient algorithms for computing entropy and KL divergence in Bayesian networks.
problem Computing entropy and KL divergence for Bayesian networks efficiently.
method Leveraging the graphical structure of Bayesian networks, the paper provides computationally efficient algorithms.
result Reduces computational complexity of KL divergence from cubic to quadratic for Gaussian BNs.
PEARL uses reinforcement learning to improve matrix preconditioners.
problem Learning effective preconditioners for iterative solvers is challenging.
method PEARL employs an actor-critic reinforcement learning framework to learn preconditioners dynamically.
result PEARL outperforms traditional and neural preconditioners in flexibility and solving speed.
PEARL uses AI to replicate private equity performance with liquid assets.
problem Lack of access to private equity due to high costs and complexity.
method Combines AI with liquid assets, incorporating asymmetry for better performance.
result Model outperforms liquid proxies and aligns with private equity benchmarks.
The study quantifies the information needed for causal queries at different levels of Pearl's hierarchy.
problem How much additional information is needed for interventional and counterfactual queries compared to observational queries?
method Formalized via query-class description length, using Kolmogorov complexity of answer oracles induced by SCMs.
result Binary acyclic SCMs show a quadratic gap between observational and interventional descriptions, and a logarithmic gap between interventional and counterfactual descriptions.
Paper tackles causal effect identification in sub-population with latent variables.
problem Identify causal effects in a sub-population with latent variables.
method Extend relevant graphical definitions and propose an algorithm for the s-ID problem.
result Sound algorithm for s-ID problem with latent variables.
It is common practice in using regression type models for inferring causal effects, that inferring the correct causal relationship requires extra covariates are included or ``adjusted for''. Without performing this adjustment erroneous causal effects can be inferred. Given this phenomenon it is common practice to inclu…
Single proxy variable helps estimate causal effects from confounders.
problem Estimating causal effects from treatment to outcome when unobserved confounders are present.
method Assumes a single, potentially multi-dimensional proxy variable of the unobserved confounder and a known mechanism generating the proxy from the confounder. Proves causal effects are identifiable under completeness assumption.
result Causal effects are identifiable under SPICE assumption.
Efficiently infers interventional distributions from observational data.
problem Inferring interventional distributions from limited observational data.
method Polynomial-time algorithm for causal Bayesian networks.
result Efficient algorithm for generating close approximations to interventional distributions.
The purpose of this paper is to construct an example of a 2-knot wildly embedded in S4 as the limit set of a Kleinian group. We find that this type of wild 2-knots has very interesting topological properties.
Instrumented data enables causal scientific machine learning
problem Insufficient data for causal scientific machine learning
method Instrumented data with explicit model, uncertainty, and counterfactuals
result Supports causal interventions through Pearl's do-operator
MpFL models clients as strategic players to reach equilibrium with less communication.
problem Real-world clients act independently with individual objectives, not aligned with a shared global model.
method MpFL uses game-theoretic modeling and PEARL-SGD algorithm for local updates and communication.
result PEARL-SGD reaches an equilibrium with less communication than non-local updates in stochastic setup.
We consider testing and learning problems on causal Bayesian networks as defined by Pearl (Pearl, 2009). Given a causal Bayesian network M on a graph with n discrete variables and bounded in-degree and bounded `confounded components', we show that O(logn) interventions on an unknown causal Bayesian ne…
Unlike traditional programs (such as operating systems or word processors) which have large amounts of code, machine learning tasks use programs with relatively small amounts of code (written in machine learning libraries), but voluminous amounts of data. Just like developers of traditional programs debug errors in the…
Statistical tests for fairness in admissions data reveal hidden patterns.
problem Simpson's paradox in admissions data hides true gender bias.
method Introduces a new statistical test based on Pearl's instrumental-variable inequalities.
result Statistical tests for fairness coincide with causal notions for the Berkeley admissions case.
PEARL combines multiple representation learning methods to enhance model performance.
problem Different representation learning methods extract distinct data aspects, potentially missing important insights.
method Combines multiple representation learning approaches using surrogate loss functions for efficient weight estimation.
result Asymptotically achieves optimal performance in downstream tasks, assigning nonzero weights to correctly specified models.
We consider the numerical stability of the parameter recovery problem in Linear Structural Equation Model ($\LSEM$) of causal inference. A long line of work starting from Wright (1920) has focused on understanding which sub-classes of $\LSEM$ allow for efficient parameter recovery. Despite decades of study, this questi…
AI needs causal inference to avoid being just a correlation machine.
problem AI's inability to distinguish correlation from causation.
method Develops a unified framework connecting various causal statistical estimators and proves a Statistical Necessity Theorem for causal generalization.
result AI systems without causal grounding are brittle and biased, highlighting the need for causal statistics.
It seems to be a pearl of conventional wisdom that parameter learning in deep sum-product networks is surprisingly fast compared to shallow mixture models. This paper examines the effects of overparameterization in sum-product networks on the speed of parameter optimisation. Using theoretical analysis and empirical exp…
In an independence model, the triplets that represent conditional independences between singletons are called elementary. It is known that the elementary triplets represent the independence model unambiguously under some conditions. In this paper, we show how this representation helps performing some operations with in…
We present two algorithms for learning the structure of a Markov network from data: GSMN* and GSIMN. Both algorithms use statistical independence tests to infer the structure by successively constraining the set of structures consistent with the results of these tests. Until very recently, algorithms for structure lear…
We extend Andersson-Madigan-Perlman chain graphs by (i) relaxing the semidirected acyclity constraint so that only directed cycles are forbidden, and (ii) allowing up to two edges between any pair of nodes. We introduce global, and ordered local and pairwise Markov properties for the new models. We show the equivalence…
Estimates causal effects using neural autoregressive density estimators.
problem Estimating causal effects in non-linear systems.
method Neural autoregressive density estimators within Pearl's do-calculus framework.
result Retrieves causal effects from non-linear systems without explicit modeling.
In this paper, we consider the problem of fair statistical inference involving outcome variables. Examples include classification and regression problems, and estimating treatment effects in randomized trials or observational data. The issue of fairness arises in such problems where some covariates or treatments are "s…
New algorithm identifies causal relationships from graphs, even with selection bias.
problem Identifying causal relationships from graphs with selection bias.
method Developed a measure-theoretic version of Pearl's causal calculus and a sound, complete identification algorithm.
result General measure-theoretic version of causal calculus allows for identification of causal relationships under selection bias.
Revisits causal inference identifiability with positivity assumption.
problem General identifiability in causal inference without positivity assumption.
method Introduces new algorithm sound and complete under positivity assumption.
result New algorithm connects general identifiability to classical identifiability.
Clarifies confusion on feature relevance quantification in explainable AI.
problem Confusion between observational and interventional conditional probabilities in feature relevance quantification.
method Uses Shapley values and clarifies the distinction between observational and interventional conditional probabilities based on Pearl's causality theory.
result Unconditional expectations are the right notion for dropping features, contradicting theoretical justification of SHAP.
In recent years, several methods have been proposed for the discovery of causal structure from non-experimental data (Spirtes et al. 2000; Pearl 2000). Such methods make various assumptions on the data generating process to facilitate its identification from purely observational data. Continuing this line of research, …
Relational Structural Causal Models enable causal reasoning about unseen object combinations.
problem Developing a model that can reason about causal and combinatorial aspects of unseen object combinations.
method Relational Structural Causal Models extend structural causal models to include relational variables and define identification criteria.
result Proposed relational neural causal models outperform non-relational baselines on simulated traffic scenes.
We establish a foundation for multivariate counterfactual identification using dynamic optimal transport.
problem Addressing the open question of counterfactual identification for high-dimensional multivariate outcomes from observational data.
method Establish a foundation for multivariate counterfactual identification using continuous-time flows, including non-Markovian settings, with tools from dynamic optimal transport.
result Characterise the conditions under which flow matching yields a unique, monotone, and rank-preserving counterfactual transport map, ensuring consistent inference.
Deep SCMs with deep learning infer counterfactuals from noisy data.
problem Inference of counterfactuals from noisy data in causal models.
method Normalizing flows and variational inference for deep SCMs.
result Tractable inference of exogenous noise variables for counterfactuals.
An important task in data analysis is the discovery of causal relationships between observed variables. For continuous-valued data, linear acyclic causal models are commonly used to model the data-generating process, and the inference of such models is a well-studied problem. However, existing methods have significant …
Graphical modelling has a long history in statistics as a tool for the analysis of multivariate data, starting from Wright's path analysis and Gibbs' applications to statistical physics at the beginning of the last century. In its modern form, it was pioneered by Lauritzen and Wermuth and Pearl in the 1980s, and has si…
Paper simplifies complex causal identifiability problems with exogenous isomorphism.
problem Achieving consistent answers to causal questions in Structural Causal Models.
method Introducing exogenous isomorphism and proposing ∼EI-identifiability. result Unified and generalized theories for practical applications in counterfactual reasoning.
New definition of patient-specific root causes of disease using counterfactuals.
problem Lack of rigorous mathematical formulation for automatic detection of root causes.
method Proposes a counterfactual definition matching clinical intuition and uses Shapley values for causal contribution scores.
result Adapts to disease prevalence, accounts for noisy labels, and admits fast computation.
Proposes a new method for algorithmic recourse in confounded settings.
problem Provides actionable recommendations for individuals affected by automated decisions.
method Relaxes assumptions of no hidden confounding and additive noise, requiring only causal graph and confounding structure.
result Bounds the expected counterfactual effect of recourse actions, ensuring favourable outcomes in expectation.
Multicomponent bilayer structures arise as the ubiquitous plasma membrane in cellular biology and as blends of amphiphilic copolymers used in electrolyte membranes, drug delivery, and emulsion stabilization within the context of synthetic chemistry. We develop the multicomponent functionalized Cahn-Hilliard (mFCH) free…
Bayesian network models with latent variables are widely used in statistics and machine learning. In this paper we provide a complete algebraic characterization of Bayesian network models with latent variables when the observed variables are discrete and no assumption is made about the state-space of the latent variabl…
Generalizing empirical findings to new environments, settings, or populations is essential in most scientific explorations. This article treats a particular problem of generalizability, called "transportability", defined as a license to transfer information learned in experimental studies to a different population, on …
Proposes BDCM to handle unmeasured confounders in causal inference.
problem Handling unmeasured confounders in causal inference.
method Backdoor criterion to find variables for diffusion model.
result Captures counterfactual distribution more precisely.
Proposes estimators for complex dose-response curves using kernel methods.
problem Estimating complex dose-response curves with continuous treatments, mediators, and covariates.
method Kernel ridge regression with sequential kernel embedding technique.
result Simple estimators for mediated and time-varying dose response curves with nonasymptotic uniform rates.
CCHM algorithm learns BN structure with latent variables, improving causal effect measurement.
problem Latent variables cause spurious relationships in BN structure learning.
method Hybrid approach combining constraint-based and score-based learning, incorporating do-calculus.
result CCHM outperforms state-of-the-art in reconstructing true BN structure.
The property of perfectness plays an important role in the theory of Bayesian networks. First, the existence of perfect distributions for arbitrary sets of variables and directed acyclic graphs implies that various methods for reading independence from the structure of the graph (e.g., Pearl, 1988; Lauritzen, Dawid, La…
Models predict probabilities of causation from limited data.
problem Estimating probabilities of causation requires unreliable or impractical experimental and observational data.
method Proposed Exact-MLP and Mask-MLP models trained on reliable subpopulations.
result Models achieve average MAEs of roughly 0.03, reducing MAE by 80%.