Practical Prioritized Defaults via Logic Programs
by Benjamin N. Grosof
Abstract:
We define courteous logic programs, a kind of prioritized default
reasoning that is computationally tractable, fairly powerful
expressively, and commercially applicable to the creation of
rule-based intelligent information agents. Courteous programs permit
classical negation in the head (consequent) or body (antecedent) of
rules, in addition to permitting negation-as-failure in the body as in
Prolog. Furthermore, courteous logic programs permit priorities
between rules mentioning the same predicate in their head. Conflict
between rules is resolved using the priorities and a principle of
skepticism, in a local fashion. As a result, courteous programs are
guaranteed to have a unique, consistent set of conclusions. Courteous
programs provide a method to resolve conflicts in authoring
(specifying), updating, merging, and advice-taking. Their prioritized
default flavor enables a more common-sense style of specification,
especially important for non-technical authors.
Last update: 1-8-98
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