A framework for a modular multi-concept lexicographic closure semantics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a modular extension of lexicographic closure semantics for defeasible description logics, allowing flexible combination of concept preferences based on subject-specific modules.

Contribution

It proposes a novel modular framework for defeasible description logics that enables customizable semantics through subject-based property distribution.

Findings

Defines a modular approach to lexicographic closure semantics

Allows for a spectrum of semantics from fine to coarse granularity

Enables combination of preferences from multiple modules

Abstract

We define a modular multi-concept extension of the lexicographic closure semantics for defeasible description logics with typicality. The idea is that of distributing the defeasible properties of concepts into different modules, according to their subject, and of defining a notion of preference for each module based on the lexicographic closure semantics. The preferential semantics of the knowledge base can then be defined as a combination of the preferences of the single modules. The range of possibilities, from fine grained to coarse grained modules, provides a spectrum of alternative semantics.