Possible Model Semantics for Disjunctive Databases

Chiaki Sakama

Deductive and Object-Oriented Databases: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Deductive and Object-Oriented Databases (DOOD'89). W. Kim, J. -M. Nicolas, S. Nishio (eds.), North-Holland, pp. 369-383, 1990.

Abstract

This paper presents a novel approach to the semantics of deductive databases. The possible model semantics is introduced as an alternative approach to the classical minimal model semantics. The possible model semantics can distinguish both inclusive and exclusive disjunctions, and provide a flexible mechanism for inferring negation in disjunctive databases. The possible model semantics is characterized by a new fixpoint semantics of disjunctive databases. A proof procedure called the SLDp-resolution is presented and shown to be sound and complete with respect to the possible model semantics.

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