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Non-situation Calculus and Database Systems

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Foundations of Information and Knowledge Systems (FoIKS 2000)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1762))

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Abstract

Non-situation calculus is a way to describe dynamic worlds using first order logic, where a theory is written from the viewpoint of a situation (the propositional fluents hold in that situation). We introduced some functions to allow describing propositional fluents that hold in other situations. We define “progression” as a transformation that changes the situation represented by a non-situation calculus. The semantics counterpart of progression, function δ, transforms an interpretation of a non-situation calculus relative to a situation into an interpretation of a non-situation calculus relative to another situation.

We propose using non-situation calculus to study database dynamics by representing a database as a non-situation calculus theory, by representing transactions as changes and by associating the database that results from executing a transaction to the progression of the theory.

We wish to thank the members of the member of GIA for their comments and support. This work was partially supported by PRAXIS XXI projecto 2/2.1/TIT/1568/95 - Raciocínio sobre mudançca utilizando Senso Comum and IDMEC - Grupo de Inteligência Artificial.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon

    Pedro A. Matos & João P. Martins

Authors
  1. Pedro A. Matos
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  2. João P. Martins
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Informatik, Technische Universität Clausthal, Julius-Albert-Str. 4, 38678, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

    Klaus-Dieter Schewe

  2. Institut für Informatik, Technische Universität Cottbus, Postfach 101344, 03013, Cottbus, Germany

    Bernhard Thalheim

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Matos, P.A., Martins, J.P. (2000). Non-situation Calculus and Database Systems. In: Schewe, KD., Thalheim, B. (eds) Foundations of Information and Knowledge Systems. FoIKS 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1762. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46564-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46564-2_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67100-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46564-5

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