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A multicontext architecture for formalizing complex reasoning
Author(s) -
Giunchiglia Enrico,
Traverso Paolo
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of intelligent systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.291
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1098-111X
pISSN - 0884-8173
DOI - 10.1002/int.4550100504
Subject(s) - computer science , axiom , domain (mathematical analysis) , context (archaeology) , concatenation (mathematics) , inference , automated reasoning , artificial intelligence , theoretical computer science , bridge (graph theory) , rule of inference , programming language , mathematics , medicine , mathematical analysis , paleontology , geometry , combinatorics , biology
We propose multicontext systems (MC systems ) as a formal framework for the specification of complex reasoning. MC systems provide the ability to structure the specification of “global” reasoning in terms of “local” reasoning subpatterns. Each subpattern is modeled as a deduction in a context, formally defined as an axiomatic formal system. the global reasoning pattern is modeled as a concatenation of contextual deductions via bridge rules, i.e., inference rules that infer a fact in one context from facts asserted in other contexts. Besides the formal framework, in this article we propose a three‐layer architecture designed to specify and automatize complex reasoning. At the first level we have object‐level contexts (called s ‐contexts) for domain specifications. Problem‐solving principles and, more in general, meta‐level knowledge about the application domain is specified in a distinct context, called Problem‐Solving Context (PSC ). On top of s ‐contexts and PSC, we have a further context, called MT , where it is possible to specify strategies to control multicontext reasoning spanning through s ‐contexts and PSC. We show how GETFOL can be used as a computer tool for the implementation of MC systems and for the automatization of multicontext deductions. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.