Alternatius

Alternatius is a theoretical construct used in decision theory and systems modeling to denote a structured space of alternative states or options available to a decision-maker or system. The term, formed from alternation with a suffix used for theoretical concepts, signals a formal framework for representing and comparing options. In this conception, an Alternatius comprises a set of alternatives, together with relations that describe how options relate, exclude, or complement each other.

Core notions within Alternatius include a set A of alternatives, a compatibility relation C on A indicating jointly feasible options, and a preference or scoring function P that assigns a value to each option. A resolution mechanism then selects a feasible option according to P and the surrounding constraints. Alternatius emphasizes modularity: new alternatives can be added without redefining the entire structure, and local constraints can propagate to affect the global solution.

Applications of Alternatius span decision-support systems, product feature selection, scheduling, and AI planning, where multiple feasible options must be evaluated under constraints. For example, choosing a meeting time from a set of options subject to availability and room capacity can be modeled within an Alternatius framework to formalize relationships and identify an optimal or near-optimal choice.

Origin and reception have occurred within contemporary discussions of option generation and constraint propagation, with development appearing in theoretical and computational approaches. The concept is often contrasted with traditional combinatorial optimization and decision-graph formalisms, highlighting its emphasis on modular option sets and explicit compatibility relations.

See also: decision theory, combinatorial optimization, option set, constraint satisfaction problem, preference modeling.