arXiv:2505.12094cs.LGcs.AI2025-05

提出新框架,精准解析贝叶斯网络中特征与标签的因果关系。

Attribution Projection Calculus: A Novel Framework for Causal Inference in Bayesian Networks

  • 基于中间节点的双重角色,区分混淆因子与去混淆因子。
  • 每个标签仅一个中间节点起去混淆作用,确保归因最优。
  • 适用于大模型公平性与不确定性评估,适合因果推理研究者。

本文提出归属投影微积分(AP-Calculus),一种用于结构化贝叶斯网络中确定因果关系的新数学框架。研究特定网络结构:源节点通过中间节点连接目标节点,每个输入以最大边缘概率映射至单一标签。证明对每个标签,恰好一个中间节点充当去混淆因子,其余为混淆因子,从而实现特征到标签的最优归因。该框架形式化了中间节点在不同情境下兼具混淆与去混淆双重属性,并建立最大化中间表示差异的分离函数。实证表明,该网络结构在因果推断上优于其他架构,包括基于Pearl因果框架的结构。AP-Calculus为分析特征-标签归因、管理虚假相关、量化信息增益、确保公平性及评估预测模型不确定性(包括大语言模型)提供全面数学基础。理论验证显示,该框架不仅扩展,且在多数实际应用中可涵盖传统do-calculus,为监督学习中的因果推断提供更直接路径。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

This paper introduces Attribution Projection Calculus (AP-Calculus), a novel mathematical framework for determining causal relationships in structured Bayesian networks. We investigate a specific network architecture with source nodes connected to destination nodes through intermediate nodes, where each input maps to a single label with maximum marginal probability. We prove that for each label, exactly one intermediate node acts as a deconfounder while others serve as confounders, enabling optimal attribution of features to their corresponding labels. The framework formalizes the dual nature of intermediate nodes as both confounders and deconfounders depending on the context, and establishes separation functions that maximize distinctions between intermediate representations. We demonstrate that the proposed network architecture is optimal for causal inference compared to alternative structures, including those based on Pearl's causal framework. AP-Calculus provides a comprehensive mathematical foundation for analyzing feature-label attributions, managing spurious correlations, quantifying information gain, ensuring fairness, and evaluating uncertainty in prediction models, including large language models. Theoretical verification shows that AP-Calculus not only extends but can also subsume traditional do-calculus for many practical applications, offering a more direct approach to causal inference in supervised learning contexts.

因果推断贝叶斯网络归因分析大模型

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