  Throughout its relatively short history, AI has been heavily influenced by logical ideas. AI has drawn on many research methodologies:  the value and relative importance of logical formalisms is questioned by some leading practitioners, and has been debated in the literature from time to  time.[3]  But most members of the AI community would agree that logic has an important role to play in at least some central areas of AI research, and an influential minority considers logic to be the most important factor in enabling strategic, fundamental advances.