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What is Interpretability?

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Peer-reviewed

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Article

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Abstract

We argue that artificial networks are explainable and offer a novel theory of interpretability. Two sets of conceptual questions are prominent in theoretical engagements with artificial neural networks, especially in the context of medical artificial intelligence: (1) Are networks explainable, and if so, what does it mean to explain the output of a network? And (2) what does it mean for a network to be interpretable? We argue that accounts of "explanation" tailored specifically to neural networks have ineffectively reinvented the wheel. In response to (1), we show how four familiar accounts of explanation apply to neural networks as they would to any scientific phenomenon. We diagnose the confusion about explaining neural networks within the machine learning literature as an equivocation on "explainability," "understandability" and "interpretability." To remedy this, we distinguish between these notions, and answer (2) by offering a theory and typology of interpretation in machine learning. Interpretation is something one does to an explanation with the aim of producing another, more understandable, explanation. As with explanation, there are various concepts and methods involved in interpretation: Total or Partial, Global or Local, and Approximative or Isomorphic. Our account of "interpretability" is consistent with uses in the machine learning literature, in keeping with the philosophy of explanation and understanding, and pays special attention to medical artificial intelligence systems.

Description

Funder: Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (ZA)


Funder: Williamson, Rausing and Lipton HPS Trust Fund (GB)


Funder: Wellcome Trust; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100004440


Funder: Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003343


Funder: Cambridge Commonwealth Trust; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003342


Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000155

Keywords

Explainability, Interpretability, Medical AI, XAI

Journal Title

Philos Technol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2210-5433
2210-5441

Volume Title

34

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC