A Principled Framework for Modular Web Rule Bases and Its Semantics

We present a principled framework for modular web rule bases, called MWeb. According to this framework, each predicate defined in a rule base is characterized by its defining reasoning mode, scope, and exporting rule base list. Each predicate used in a rule base is characterized by its requesting reasoning mode and importing rule base list. For valid MWeb modular rule bases S , the MWebAS and MWebWFS semantics of each rule base s ∈ S w.r.t. S are defined, model-theoretically. These semantics extend the answer set semantics (AS) and the well-founded semantics with explicit negation (WFSX) on ELPs, respectively, keeping all of their semantical and computational characteristics. Our framework supports: (i) local semantics and different points of view, (ii) local closed-world and open-world assumptions, (iii) scoped negation-as-failure, (iv) restricted propagation of local inconsistencies, and (v) monotonicity of reasoning, for “fully shared” predicates.