A logic for reasoning with inconsistent knowledge (Q1199925)

A logic for reasoning with inconsistent knowledge is described. This logic is a generalization of the work of \textit{N. Rescher} [Hypothetical reasoning, North-Holland, Amsterdam (1964)]. In the logic a reliability relation is used to choose between incompatible assumptions. These choices are only made when a contradiction is derived. As long as no contradiction is derived, the knowledge is assumed to be consistent. This makes it possible to define an executable deduction process for the logic. For the logic a semantic based on the ideas of Shoham is defined. It turns out that the semantics for the logic is a preferential semantics according to the definition of \textit{S. Kraus}, \textit{D. Lehmann} and \textit{M. Magidor} [Nonmonotonic reasoning, preferential models and cumulative logics, Artif. Intell. 44, 167-207 (1990)]. Therefore the logic is a logic of system \({\mathbf P}\) and possesses all the properties of an ideal nonmonotonic logic.