Nuvl

Named by hash
Uncensored
Verifiable
Library

About Nuvl

The Nuvl project aims to build a Named by hash, Uncensored, Verifiable Library:
  • Named by hash: Data in Nuvl is named by its hash, not by its server location, so it can live anywhere on the net.
  • Uncensored: A link to a claim is good as long as the hash can find the data anywhere. No one organization controls it.
  • Verifiable: All claims link to their sources so your viewing software can verify it according to your own accepted assumptions.
  • Library: The result is a shareable library of knowledge you can trust.
Nuvl also sounds like núvol, the Catalan word for cloud.


 What Nuvl is

Nuvl is a protocol for using and updating causal models which explain evidence. Each explanation is connected to its supporting evidence, so you can evaluate it against competing explanations. Eventually, your Nuvl instance can be connected to all knowledge you can put into it.
What Nuvl is not
Nuvl isn't an autonomous learning algorithm ... but other learning algorithms can feed models into Nuvl.
Nuvl isn't an Artificial Intelligence ... but an AI system may use Nuvl as a reliable tool.
Nuvl doesn't think for you ... but if you express your knowledge to Nuvl it can tell you where there may be contradictions and where improvement may come from other connected knowledge.
Nuvl won't hold someone's falsehoods
 ... but Nuvl provides a place where people who want help with lying won't use it for exactly that reason.

Technical details

Named by hash

Nuvl needs a reliable way to get the evidence it depends on, so it refers to a piece of evidence (video clip) by its hash. This has two advantages: each piece of evidence automatically has a globally unique name so that it can be stored anywhere, and it is secure because when your software downloads a piece of data it computes a new hash and compares with the name.  Because of the strong cryptography of the hashing algorithm, you know you got the data you wanted.  No one can spoof you and make you retrieve the wrong data.

Causal models

The world has systems with physical attributes. Knowledge is causal models which predict the change of those attributes. A model has the form {set of attribute values} implies event causes new attribute value. If models make conflicting predictions, this is defined as a "problem". Knowledge is created with a new model which resolves the conflict.

Algorithms

The Nuvl software has a set of algorithms for processing models.
  • applying models
  • applying the model selection algorithm to explain evidence
  • recording the assumptions and evidence used to compute a new causal path
  • making predictions from selected models
  • detecting problems (conflicting predictions)
  • categorizing unresolved problems
  • connecting a new causal model (created by another) to the problem it resolves
  • recategorizing problems when the model selection algorithm is changed (by another)
  • replacing many separate assumptions with a new model which predicts them
  • reviewing/accepting the problem and resolution of new models (created by others)