Argumentative inference in uncertain and inconsistent knowledge bases

TL;DR

This paper explores methods for reasoning within inconsistent knowledge bases, focusing on argumentative-consequence relations and incorporating priorities and paraconsistency to handle conflicting information effectively.

Contribution

It introduces a novel argumentative inference approach for inconsistent knowledge bases, integrating priority levels and paraconsistency within possibility theory.

Findings

Developed argumentative-consequence relations considering consistency.

Extended reasoning methods to prioritized knowledge bases.

Proposed a paraconsistent-like approach propagating entrenchment and paraconsistency levels.

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses several methods for reasoning from inconsistent knowledge bases. A so-called argumentative-consequence relation taking into account the existence of consistent arguments in favor of a conclusion and the absence of consistent arguments in favor of its contrary, is particularly investigated. Flat knowledge bases, i.e. without any priority between their elements, as well as prioritized ones where some elements are considered as more strongly entrenched than others are studied under different consequence relations. Lastly a paraconsistent-like treatment of prioritized knowledge bases is proposed, where both the level of entrenchment and the level of paraconsistency attached to a formula are propagated. The priority levels are handled in the framework of possibility theory.