Course information T-61.5040

Course Contents and Prerequisites

The course does not introduce lots of practical learning methods to be used as black-box methods. Theories of learning are not taught in detail either. Instead, the possibility of learning from data without any assumptions is examined. This is shown to be impossible from a certain point of view. Some difficulties of "weak" assumptions are also demonstrated. Next, Bayesian methods are developed as a well-justified approach to learning from data. Rest of the course deals with Bayesian methods with the emphasis on ideas and not on complicated details. One lecture will briefly examine Statistical Learning Theory, which appears to suggest that learning from data without assumptions is possible. This result is examined using Bayesian approach, which reveals that the theory actually does not support learning without assumptions.

As prerequisite information you will need the basic mathematics and probability courses, and know the basics of calculating with matrices. It is very useful to have taken some course which deals with modeling data nonlinearly (for example neural networks or pattern recognition).

Language Issues

The course will be lectured in English if there are non-finnish speakers in the audience. All course material will be in English, but the language spoken in the exercise sessions will be decided in the first session (19.1.)

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