On syntactically similar logic programs and sequential decompositions

TL;DR

This paper develops an algebraic framework for understanding syntactic similarity between logic programs through sequential decompositions, enabling cross-domain query answering and advancing the theory of logic programming.

Contribution

It introduces a novel algebraic notion of program similarity based on sequential decompositions, facilitating reasoning across different domains.

Findings

Defined a qualitative and algebraic notion of program similarity

Demonstrated how similarity enables cross-domain query answering

Contributed to the development of an algebraic theory of logic programming

Abstract

Rule-based reasoning is an essential part of human intelligence prominently formalized in artificial intelligence research via logic programs. Describing complex objects as the composition of elementary ones is a common strategy in computer science and science in general. The author has recently introduced the sequential composition of logic programs in the context of logic-based analogical reasoning and learning in logic programming. Motivated by these applications, in this paper we construct a qualitative and algebraic notion of syntactic logic program similarity from sequential decompositions of programs. We then show how similarity can be used to answer queries across different domains via a one-step reduction. In a broader sense, this paper is a further step towards an algebraic theory of logic programming.