Belief updating from integrity constraints and queries

Abstract

It is argued that the problems of intensional knowledge base updating and incremental concept-learning—when formulated in a logical framework—can be understood as instances of the more general problem of belief updating. This insight allows interesting cross-fertilization between both areas. To support this claim, we sketch a simple extension of Shapiro's Model Inference System that solves the belief updating problem within a restricted subset of first order logic. This extension uses integrity constraints and allows for the assertion of non-unit clauses. The former generalizes the use of examples in concept-learning whereas the latter generalizes the set of revisions considered in knowledge base updating.