scholarly journals Using linear constraints for logic program termination analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARCO CALAUTTI ◽  
SERGIO GRECO ◽  
CRISTIAN MOLINARO ◽  
IRINA TRUBITSYNA
Keyword(s):  
Global Analysis ◽  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Expressive Power ◽  
Linear Constraints ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Infinite Domains ◽  
Program Termination

AbstractIt is widely acknowledged that function symbols are an important feature in answer set programming, as they make modelling easier, increase the expressive power, and allow us to deal with infinite domains. The main issue with their introduction is that the evaluation of a program might not terminate and checking whether it terminates or not is undecidable. To cope with this problem, several classes of logic programs have been proposed where the use of function symbols is restricted but the program evaluation termination is guaranteed. Despite the significant body of work in this area, current approaches do not include many simple practical programs whose evaluation terminates. In this paper, we present the novel classes ofrule-boundedandcycle-bounded programs, which overcome different limitations of current approaches by performing a more global analysis of how terms are propagated from the body to the head of rules. Results on the correctness, the complexity, and the expressivity of the proposed approach are provided.

scholarly journals Dual-normal logic programs – the forgotten class

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 495-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHANNES K. FICHTE ◽  
MIROSŁAW TRUSZCZYŃSKI ◽  
STEFAN WOLTRAN
Keyword(s):  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Expressive Power ◽  
Declarative Programming ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Programming Paradigm ◽  
Normal Logic ◽  
Consistency Problem ◽  
Theoretical Standpoint ◽  
Answer Set

AbstractDisjunctive Answer Set Programming is a powerful declarative programming paradigm with complexity beyond NP. Identifying classes of programs for which the consistency problem is in NP is of interest from the theoretical standpoint and can potentially lead to improvements in the design of answer set programming solvers. One of such classes consists of dual-normal programs, where the number of positive body atoms in proper rules is at most one. Unlike other classes of programs, dual-normal programs have received little attention so far. In this paper we study this class. We relate dual-normal programs to propositional theories and to normal programs by presenting several inter-translations. With the translation from dual-normal to normal programs at hand, we introduce the novel class of body-cycle free programs, which are in many respects dual to head-cycle free programs. We establish the expressive power of dual-normal programs in terms of SE- and UE-models, and compare them to normal programs. We also discuss the complexity of deciding whether dual-normal programs are strongly and uniformly equivalent.

scholarly journals Knowledge Forgetting in Answer Set Programming

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 31-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wang ◽  
Y. Zhang ◽  
Y. Zhou ◽  
M. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Semantic Knowledge ◽  
Decision Problems ◽  
Stable Model ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Substitution Principle ◽  
Answer Set

The ability of discarding or hiding irrelevant information has been recognized as an important feature for knowledge based systems, including answer set programming. The notion of strong equivalence in answer set programming plays an important role for different problems as it gives rise to a substitution principle and amounts to knowledge equivalence of logic programs. In this paper, we uniformly propose a semantic knowledge forgetting, called HT- and FLP-forgetting, for logic programs under stable model and FLP-stable model semantics, respectively. Our proposed knowledge forgetting discards exactly the knowledge of a logic program which is relevant to forgotten variables. Thus it preserves strong equivalence in the sense that strongly equivalent logic programs will remain strongly equivalent after forgetting the same variables. We show that this semantic forgetting result is always expressible; and we prove a representation theorem stating that the HT- and FLP-forgetting can be precisely characterized by Zhang-Zhou's four forgetting postulates under the HT- and FLP-model semantics, respectively. We also reveal underlying connections between the proposed forgetting and the forgetting of propositional logic, and provide complexity results for decision problems in relation to the forgetting. An application of the proposed forgetting is also considered in a conflict solving scenario.

scholarly journals Minish HAT: A Tool for the Minimization of Here-and-There Logic Programs and Theories in Answer Set Programming

Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Martin ◽  
Pedro Cabalar
Keyword(s):  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Boolean Logic ◽  
Minimal Representation ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Minimization Methods ◽  
Programming Techniques ◽  
Software Implementations ◽  
Reduced Time ◽  
Answer Set

When it comes to the writing of a new logic program or theory, it is of great importance to obtain a concise and minimal representation, for simplicity and ease of interpretation reasons. There are already a few methods and many tools, such as Karnaugh Maps or the Quine-McCluskey method, as well as their numerous software implementations, that solve this minimization problem in Boolean logic. This is not the case for Here-and-There logic, also called three-valued logic. Even though there are theoretical minimization methods for logic theories and programs, there aren’t any published tools that are able to obtain a minimal equivalent logic program. In this paper we present the first version of a tool called that is able to efficiently obtain minimal and equivalent representations for any logic program in Here-and-There. The described tool uses an hybrid method both leveraging a modified version of the Quine-McCluskey algorithm and Answer Set Programming techniques to minimize fairly complex logic programs in a reduced time.

scholarly journals Optimizing Answer Set Computation via Heuristic-Based Decomposition

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 603-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCESCO CALIMERI ◽  
SIMONA PERRI ◽  
JESSICA ZANGARI
Keyword(s):  
Logic Programming ◽  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Decomposition Techniques ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Experimental Activity ◽  
Performance Of Systems ◽  
Answer Sets ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Answer Set

AbstractAnswer Set Programming (ASP) is a purely declarative formalism developed in the field of logic programming and non-monotonic reasoning: computational problems are encoded by logic programs whose answer sets, corresponding to solutions, are computed by an ASP system. Different, semantically equivalent, programs can be defined for the same problem; however, performance of systems evaluating them might significantly vary. We propose an approach for automatically transforming an input logic program into an equivalent one that can be evaluated more efficiently. One can make use of existing tree-decomposition techniques for rewriting selected rules into a set of multiple ones; the idea is to guide and adaptively apply them on the basis of proper new heuristics, to obtain a smart rewriting algorithm to be integrated into an ASP system. The method is rather general: it can be adapted to any system and implement different preference policies. Furthermore, we define a set of new heuristics tailored at optimizing grounding, one of the main phases of the ASP computation; we use them in order to implement the approach into the ASP systemDLV, in particular into its grounding subsystemℐ-DLV, and carry out an extensive experimental activity for assessing the impact of the proposal.

scholarly journals On the existence of stable models of non-stratified logic programs

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 169-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEFANIA COSTANTINI
Keyword(s):  
Canonical Form ◽  
Logic Program ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fundamental Result ◽  
Stable Model ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Truth Value ◽  
Answer Sets ◽  
Stable Models

In this paper we analyze the relationship between cyclic definitions and consistency in Gelfond-Lifschitz's answer sets semantics (originally defined as ‘stable model semantics’). This paper introduces a fundamental result, which is relevant for Answer Set programming, and planning. For the first time since the definition of the stable model semantics, the class of logic programs for which a stable model exists is given a syntactic characterization. This condition may have a practical importance both for defining new algorithms for checking consistency and computing answer sets, and for improving the existing systems. The approach of this paper is to introduce a new canonical form (to which any logic program can be reduced to), to focus the attention on cyclic dependencies. The technical result is then given in terms of programs in canonical form (canonical programs), without loss of generality: the stable models of any general logic program coincide (up to the language) to those of the corresponding canonical program. The result is based on identifying the cycles contained in the program, showing that stable models of the overall program are composed of stable models of suitable sub-programs, corresponding to the cycles, and on defining the Cycle Graph. Each vertex of this graph corresponds to one cycle, and each edge corresponds to one handle, which is a literal containing an atom that, occurring in both cycles, actually determines a connection between them. In fact, the truth value of the handle in the cycle where it appears as the head of a rule, influences the truth value of the atoms of the cycle(s) where it occurs in the body. We can therefore introduce the concept of a handle path, connecting different cycles. Cycles can be even, if they consist of an even number of rules, or vice versa they can be odd. Problems for consistency, as it is well-known, originate in the odd cycles. If for every odd cycle we can find a handle path with certain properties, then the existence of stable model is guaranteed. We will show that based on this results new classes of consistent programs can be defined, and that cycles and cycle graphs can be generalized to components and component graphs.

scholarly journals Inconsistency Proofs for ASP: The ASP - DRUPE Format

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 891-907
Author(s):  
MARIO ALVIANO ◽  
CARMINE DODARO ◽  
JOHANNES K. FICHTE ◽  
MARKUS HECHER ◽  
TOBIAS PHILIPP ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Boolean Satisfiability ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Disjunctive Logic Programs ◽  
Normal Logic ◽  
Consistency Problem ◽  
Unit Propagation ◽  
Answer Sets ◽  
Answer Set

AbstractAnswer Set Programming (ASP) solvers are highly-tuned and complex procedures that implicitly solve the consistency problem, i.e., deciding whether a logic program admits an answer set. Verifying whether a claimed answer set is formally a correct answer set of the program can be decided in polynomial time for (normal) programs. However, it is far from immediate to verify whether a program that is claimed to be inconsistent, indeed does not admit any answer sets. In this paper, we address this problem and develop the new proof format ASP-DRUPE for propositional, disjunctive logic programs, including weight and choice rules. ASP-DRUPE is based on the Reverse Unit Propagation (RUP) format designed for Boolean satisfiability. We establish correctness of ASP-DRUPE and discuss how to integrate it into modern ASP solvers. Later, we provide an implementation of ASP-DRUPE into the wasp solver for normal logic programs.

scholarly journals A general framework for equivalences in Answer-Set Programming by countermodels in the logic of Here-and-There

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 171-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL FINK
Keyword(s):  
General Framework ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Program Optimization ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Infinite Domains ◽  
General Semantics ◽  
Answer Set Semantics ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Answer Set

AbstractDifferent notions of equivalence, such as the prominent notions of strong and uniform equivalence, have been studied in Answer-Set Programming, mainly for the purpose of identifying programs that can serve as substitutes without altering the semantics, for instance in program optimization. Such semantic comparisons are usually characterized by various selections of models in the logic of Here-and-There (HT). For uniform equivalence however, correct characterizations in terms of HT-models can only be obtained for finite theories, respectively programs. In this paper, we show that a selection of countermodels in HT captures uniform equivalence also for infinite theories. This result is turned into coherent characterizations of the different notions of equivalence by countermodels, as well as by a mixture of HT-models and countermodels (so-called equivalence interpretations). Moreover, we generalize the so-called notion of relativized hyperequivalence for programs to propositional theories, and apply the same methodology in order to obtain a semantic characterization which is amenable to infinite settings. This allows for a lifting of the results to first-order theories under a very general semantics given in terms of a quantified version of HT. We thus obtain a general framework for the study of various notions of equivalence for theories under answer-set semantics. Moreover, we prove an expedient property that allows for a simplified treatment of extended signatures, and provide further results for non-ground logic programs. In particular, uniform equivalence coincides under open and ordinary answer-set semantics, and for finite non-ground programs under these semantics, also the usual characterization of uniform equivalence in terms of maximal and total HT-models of the grounding is correct, even for infinite domains, when corresponding ground programs are infinite.

scholarly journals Towards automated integration of guess and check programs in answer set programming: a meta-interpreter and applications

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 23-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS EITER ◽  
AXEL POLLERES
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Polynomial Hierarchy ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
Complete Problems ◽  
Polynomial Size ◽  
Disjunctive Logic Programs ◽  
Np Complete ◽  
Answer Set

Answer set programming (ASP) with disjunction offers a powerful tool for declaratively representing and solving hard problems. Many NP-complete problems can be encoded in the answer set semantics of logic programs in a very concise and intuitive way, where the encoding reflects the typical “guess and check” nature of NP problems: The property is encoded in a way such that polynomial size certificates for it correspond to stable models of a program. However, the problem-solving capacity of full disjunctive logic programs (DLPs) is beyond NP, and captures a class of problems at the second level of the polynomial hierarchy. While these problems also have a clear “guess and check” structure, finding an encoding in a DLP reflecting this structure may sometimes be a non-obvious task, in particular if the “check” itself is a co-NP-complete problem; usually, such problems are solved by interleaving separate guess and check programs, where the check is expressed by inconsistency of the check program. In this paper, we present general transformations of head-cycle free (extended) disjunctive logic programs into stratified and positive (extended) disjunctive logic programs based on meta-interpretation techniques. The answer sets of the original and the transformed program are in simple correspondence, and, moreover, inconsistency of the original program is indicated by a designated answer set of the transformed program. Our transformations facilitate the integration of separate “guess” and “check” programs, which are often easy to obtain, automatically into a single disjunctive logic program. Our results complement recent results on meta-interpretation in ASP, and extend methods and techniques for a declarative “guess and check” problem solving paradigm through ASP.

scholarly journals Temporal logic programs with variables

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
FELICIDAD AGUADO ◽  
PEDRO CABALAR ◽  
GILBERTO PÉREZ ◽  
CONCEPCIÓN VIDAL ◽  
MARTÍN DIÉGUEZ
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Logic ◽  
Linear Time ◽  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
First Order ◽  
Linear Time Temporal Logic ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Stable Models ◽  
Answer Set

AbstractIn this note, we consider the problem of introducing variables in temporal logic programs under the formalism of Temporal Equilibrium Logic, an extension of Answer Set Programming for dealing with linear-time modal operators. To this aim, we provide a definition of a first-order version of Temporal Equilibrium Logic that shares the syntax of first-order Linear-time Temporal Logic but has different semantics, selecting some Linear-time Temporal Logic models we call temporal stable models. Then, we consider a subclass of theories (called splittable temporal logic programs) that are close to usual logic programs but allowing a restricted use of temporal operators. In this setting, we provide a syntactic definition of safe variables that suffices to show the property of domain independence – that is, addition of arbitrary elements in the universe does not vary the set of temporal stable models. Finally, we present a method for computing the derivable facts by constructing a non-temporal logic program with variables that is fed to a standard Answer Set Programming grounder. The information provided by the grounder is then used to generate a subset of ground temporal rules which is equivalent to (and generally smaller than) the full program instantiation.

scholarly journals Modeling and Language Extensions

AI Magazine ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Gebser ◽  
Torsten Schaub
Keyword(s):  
Expressive Language ◽  
Logic Program ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Stable Model ◽  
Logic Programs ◽  
First Order ◽  
High Level Modeling ◽  
High Level ◽  
Answer Sets ◽  
First Order Variables

Answer set programming (ASP) has emerged as an approach to declarative problem solving based on the stable model semantics for logic programs. The basic idea is to represent a computational problem by a logic program, formulating constraints in terms of rules, such that its answer sets correspond to problem solutions. To this end, ASP combines an expressive language for high-level modeling with powerful low-level reasoning capacities, provided by off-the-shelf tools. Compact problem representations take advantage of genuine modeling features of ASP, including (first-order) variables, negation by default, and recursion. In this article, we demonstrate the ASP methodology on two example scenarios, illustrating basic as well as advanced modeling and solving concepts. We also discuss mechanisms to represent and implement extended kinds of preferences and optimization. An overview of further available extensions concludes the article.

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