Ontology-based inference for causal explanation¹

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Besnard, Ph.^a | Cordier, M.-O.^b | Moinard, Y.^{c; *}

Affiliations: [a] CNRS, IRIT, Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse cedex, France | [b] Université de Rennes I; IRISA, campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes cedex, France | [c] INRIA; IRISA, campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes cedex, France

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. E-mail: moinard@irisa.fr.

Note: [1] This is an extended version of [4].

Abstract: We define an inference system to capture explanations based on causal statements, using an ontology in the form of an IS-A hierarchy. We first introduce a simple logical language which makes it possible to express that a fact causes another fact and that a fact explains another fact. We present a set of formal inference patterns from causal statements to explanation statements. We introduce an elementary ontology which gives greater expressiveness to the system while staying close to propositional reasoning. We provide an inference system that captures the patterns discussed, firstly in a purely propositional framework, then in a datalog (limited predicate) framework.

DOI: 10.3233/ICA-2008-15406

Journal: Integrated Computer-Aided Engineering, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 351-367, 2008