Reflection principles in computational logic

We introduce the concept of reflection principle as a knowledge representation paradigm in a computational logic setting. Reflection principles are expressed as certain kinds of logic schemata intended to capture the basic properties of the domain knowledge to be modelled. Reflection is then used to instantiate these schemata to answer specific queries about the domain. This differs from other approaches to reflection mainly in the following three ways. First, it uses logical instead of procedural reflection. Second, it aims at a cognitively adequate declarative representation of various forms of knowledge and reasoning, as opposed to reflection as a means for controlling computation or deduction. Third, it facilitates the building of a complex theory by allowing a simpler theory to be enhanced by a compact metatheory, contrary to the construction of metatheories that are only conservative extensions of the basic theory. A computational logic system for embedding reflection principles...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2000
• Where: LOGCOM
• Authors: Jonas Barklund, Pierangelo Dell'Acqua, Stefania Costantini, Gaetano Aurelio Lanzarone
• Keywords: Computational Logic, LOGCOM 2000, Procedural Reflection, Reflection Principles