Queries With Exact Truth Values on Concept and Role Atoms in Paraconsistent Description Logics

We present a novel approach to querying classically inconsistent description logic (DL) knowledge bases by adopting a paraconsistent semantics with the four 'Belnapian' values: exactly true (T), exactly false (F), both (B), and neither (N). In contrast to prior studies on paraconsistent DLs, we allow truth value operators in the query language over concept and role atoms, which can be used to differentiate between answers obtained from contradictory evidence and those based upon only positive evidence. We present a reduction to classical DL query answering that allows us to pinpoint the precise combined and data complexity of answering queries with values in paraconsistent ALCHI with two- and four-valued roles and their sublogics. Notably, we show that tractable data complexity is retained for Horn DLs. We also present a comparison with repair-based inconsistency-tolerant semantics, showing that the two approaches are incomparable: if we consider queries with the T (exactly true) operator, then we neither over-approximate the most cautious repair-based semantics, nor under-approximate the least cautious ones.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research
Published
2026-02-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1613/jair.1.18676
Primary Topic
Semantic Web and Ontologies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Queries With Exact Truth Values on Concept and Role Atoms in Paraconsistent Description Logics

Daniil Kozhemiachenko, Camille Bourgaux
Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research
Semantic Web and Ontologies
article

Queries With Exact Truth Values on Concept and Role Atoms in Paraconsistent Description Logics

Daniil Kozhemiachenko, Camille Bourgaux
article en

Abstract

We present a novel approach to querying classically inconsistent description logic (DL) knowledge bases by adopting a paraconsistent semantics with the four 'Belnapian' values: exactly true (T), exactly false (F), both (B), and neither (N). In contrast to prior studies on paraconsistent DLs, we allow truth value operators in the query language over concept and role atoms, which can be used to differentiate between answers obtained from contradictory evidence and those based upon only positive evidence. We present a reduction to classical DL query answering that allows us to pinpoint the precise combined and data complexity of answering queries with values in paraconsistent ALCHI with two- and four-valued roles and their sublogics. Notably, we show that tractable data complexity is retained for Horn DLs. We also present a comparison with repair-based inconsistency-tolerant semantics, showing that the two approaches are incomparable: if we consider queries with the T (exactly true) operator, then we neither over-approximate the most cautious repair-based semantics, nor under-approximate the least cautious ones.

Journal of Artificial Intelligence ResearchVol. 85
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Université de Bordeaux (FR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Laboratoire Bordelais de Recherche en Informatique (FR), Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux (FR)
Agence Nationale de la Recherche
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 45%
Semantic Web and Ontologies
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