Web ontology representation and reasoning via fragments of set theory

In this paper we use results from Computable Set Theory as a means to represent and reason about description logics and rule languages for the semantic web. Specifically, we introduce the description logic \mathcal{DL}\langle 4LQS^R\rangle(\D)--admitting features such as min/max cardinality constructs on the left-hand/right-hand side of inclusion axioms, role chain axioms, and datatypes--which turns out to be quite expressive if compared with \mathcal{SROIQ}(\D), the description logic underpinning the Web Ontology Language OWL. Then we show that the consistency problem for \mathcal{DL}\langle 4LQS^R\rangle(\D)-knowledge bases is decidable by reducing it, through a suitable translation process, to the satisfiability problem of the stratified fragment $4LQS^R$ of set theory, involving variables of four sorts and a restricted form of quantification. We prove also that, under suitable not very restrictive constraints, the consistency problem for \mathcal{DL}\langle 4LQS^R\rangle(\D)-knowledge bases is \textbf{NP}-complete. Finally, we provide a $4LQS^R$-translation of rules belonging to the Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL)

A decidable quantified fragment of set theory with ordered pairs and some undecidable extensions

In this paper we address the decision problem for a fragment of set theory with restricted quantification which extends the language studied in [4] with pair related quantifiers and constructs, in view of possible applications in the field of knowledge representation. We will also show that the decision problem for our language has a non-deterministic exponential time complexity. However, for the restricted case of formulae whose quantifier prefixes have length bounded by a constant, the decision problem becomes NP-complete. We also observe that in spite of such restriction, several useful set-theoretic constructs, mostly related to maps, are expressible. Finally, we present some undecidable extensions of our language, involving any of the operators domain, range, image, and map composition. [4] Michael Breban, Alfredo Ferro, Eugenio G. Omodeo and Jacob T. Schwartz (1981): Decision procedures for elementary sublanguages of set theory. II. Formulas involving restricted quantifiers, together with ordinal, integer, map, and domain notions. Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics 34, pp. 177-195Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2012, arXiv:1210.202

Formative processes with applications to the decision problem in set theory: II. powerset and singleton operators, finiteness predicate

In this paper we solve the satisfiability problem of an extended fragment of set computable theory which "forces the infinity" by a fruitful use of the witness small model property and the theory of formative processes.Comment: this paper has been withdrawn since it has been completely revise

The decision problem for a three-sorted fragment of set theory with restricted quantification and finite enumerations

We solve the satisfiability problem for a three-sorted fragment of set theory (denoted $3LQST_0^R$), which admits a restricted form of quantification over individual and set variables and the finite enumeration operator $\{\text{-}, \text{-}, \ldots, \text{-}\}$ over individual variables, by showing that it enjoys a small model property, i.e., any satisfiable formula $\psi$ of $3LQST_0^R$ has a finite model whose size depends solely on the length of $\psi$ itself. Several set-theoretic constructs are expressible by $3LQST_0^R$-formulae, such as some variants of the power set operator and the unordered Cartesian product. In particular, concerning the unordered Cartesian product, we show that when finite enumerations are used to represent the construct, the resulting formula is exponentially shorter than the one that can be constructed without resorting to such terms

The satisfiability problem for Boolean set theory with a choice correspondence (Extended version)

Given a set $U$ of alternatives, a choice (correspondence) on $U$ is a contractive map $c$ defined on a family $\Omega$ of nonempty subsets of $U$. Semantically, a choice $c$ associates to each menu $A \in \Omega$ a nonempty subset $c(A) \subseteq A$ comprising all elements of $A$ that are deemed selectable by an agent. A choice on $U$ is total if its domain is the powerset of $U$ minus the empty set, and partial otherwise. According to the theory of revealed preferences, a choice is rationalizable if it can be retrieved from a binary relation on $U$ by taking all maximal elements of each menu. It is well-known that rationalizable choices are characterized by the satisfaction of suitable axioms of consistency, which codify logical rules of selection within menus. For instance, WARP (Weak Axiom of Revealed Preference) characterizes choices rationalizable by a transitive relation. Here we study the satisfiability problem for unquantified formulae of an elementary fragment of set theory involving a choice function symbol $\mathtt{c}$, the Boolean set operators and the singleton, the equality and inclusion predicates, and the propositional connectives. In particular, we consider the cases in which the interpretation of $\mathtt{c}$ satisfies any combination of two specific axioms of consistency, whose conjunction is equivalent to WARP. In two cases we prove that the related satisfiability problem is NP-complete, whereas in the remaining cases we obtain NP-completeness under the additional assumption that the number of choice terms is constant

The Satisfiability Problem for Boolean Set Theory with a Choice Correspondence

Given a set U of alternatives, a choice (correspondence) on U is a contractive map c defined on a family Omega of nonempty subsets of U. Semantically, a choice c associates to each menu A in Omega a nonempty subset c(A) of A comprising all elements of A that are deemed selectable by an agent. A choice on U is total if its domain is the powerset of U minus the empty set, and partial otherwise. According to the theory of revealed preferences, a choice is rationalizable if it can be retrieved from a binary relation on U by taking all maximal elements of each menu. It is well-known that rationalizable choices are characterized by the satisfaction of suitable axioms of consistency, which codify logical rules of selection within menus. For instance, WARP (Weak Axiom of Revealed Preference) characterizes choices rationalizable by a transitive relation. Here we study the satisfiability problem for unquantified formulae of an elementary fragment of set theory involving a choice function symbol c, the Boolean set operators and the singleton, the equality and inclusion predicates, and the propositional connectives. In particular, we consider the cases in which the interpretation of c satisfies any combination of two specific axioms of consistency, whose conjunction is equivalent to WARP. In two cases we prove that the related satisfiability problem is NP-complete, whereas in the remaining cases we obtain NP-completeness under the additional assumption that the number of choice terms is constant.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2017, arXiv:1709.01761. "extended" version at arXiv:1708.0612