# A Constraint Propagation Approach to Probabilistic Reasoning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1304.3422 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1304.3422/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 27 Mar 2013.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Partition Function Estimation: A Quantitative Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.11132/) (2021)
- [An Asymmetric Independence Model for Causal Discovery on Path Spaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.09859/) (2025)
- [σ-Maximal Ancestral Graphs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.00093/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The paper demonstrates that strict adherence to probability theory does not preclude the use of concurrent, self-activated constraint-propagation mechanisms for managing uncertainty. Maintaining local records of sources-of-belief allows both predictive and diagnostic inferences to be activated simultaneously and propagate harmoniously towards a stable equilibrium.