A Formal Approach to Qualitative Reasoning on Topological Properties of Networks

Abstract. Qualitative reasoning uses a limited set of relevant distinctions of the domain to allow a flexible way of representing and reasoning about it. This work presents a conceptual framework for qualitative reasoning about information networks from a spatial-topological point of view. We consider the properties of connectivity and some topological invariants to describe the structural characteristics of and the topological relationships between networks. The paper presents a data model for networks which generalizes the notion of graph, founded in algebraic and topological considerations. Such conceptual tool can be useful in different domains, from social to technological networks.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: EKAW
• Authors: Andrea Rodríguez, Claudio Gutierrez
• Keywords: EKAW 2006, Information Management, Qualitative Reasoning, Topological, Topological Invariants