Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface
- 1 An Introduction to Description Logics
- Part I Theory
- Part II Implementation
- 7 From Description Logic Provers to Knowledge Representation Systems
- 8 Description Logic Systems
- 9 Implementation and Optimization Techniques
- Part III Applications
- Appendix: Description Logic Terminology
- Bibliography
- Index
7 - From Description Logic Provers to Knowledge Representation Systems
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 July 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface
- 1 An Introduction to Description Logics
- Part I Theory
- Part II Implementation
- 7 From Description Logic Provers to Knowledge Representation Systems
- 8 Description Logic Systems
- 9 Implementation and Optimization Techniques
- Part III Applications
- Appendix: Description Logic Terminology
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Abstract
A DL-based knowledge representation system is more than an inference engine for a particular Description Logic. A knowledge representation system must provide a number of services to human users, including presentation of the information stored in the system in a manner palatable to users and justification of the inferences performed by the system. If human users cannot understand what the system is doing, then the development of knowledge bases is made much more difficult or even impossible. A knowledge representation system must also provide a number of services to application programs, including access to the basic information stored in the system but also including access to the machinations of the system. If programs cannot easily access and manipulate the information stored in the system, then the development of applications is made much more difficult or even impossible.
Introduction
A DL-based knowledge representation system does not live in a vacuum. It has to be prepared to interact with several sorts of other entities. One class of entities consists of human users who develop knowledge bases using the system. If the system cannot effectively interact with these users then it will be difficult to create knowledge bases in the system, and the system will not be used. Another class of entities consists of programs that use the services of the system to provide information to support applications. If the system cannot effectively interact with these programs then it will be difficult to create applications using the system, and the system will not be used.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Description Logic HandbookTheory, Implementation and Applications, pp. 285 - 303Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007