# A Defect in Dempster-Shafer Theory

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1302.6849 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1302.6849/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 27 Feb 2013.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Uncertainty Representation in a SOTIF-Related Use Case with Dempster-Shafer Theory for LiDAR Sensor-Based Object Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.02087/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

By analyzing the relationships among chance, weight of evidence and degree of beliefwe show that the assertion "probability functions are special cases of belief functions" and the assertion "Dempster's rule can be used to combine belief functions based on distinct bodies of evidence" together lead to an inconsistency in Dempster-Shafer theory. To solve this problem, we must reject some fundamental postulates of the theory. We introduce a new approach for uncertainty management that shares many intuitive ideas with D-S theory, while avoiding this problem.