Answer Set Programming and Abductive Reasoning

Special  Session at
9th Intl. Workshop on Non-Monotonic Reasoning NMR'2002

April 19-21, 2002, Toulouse, France
(Collocated with KR'2002, April 22-25)

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Two new frameworks for Declarative Problem Solving based on nonmonotonic reasoning are currently under development. These are the frameworks of Answer Set Programming (ASP) and Abductive Logic Programming (ALP). Despite their difference in approach they both share a common foundation in closely related nonmonotonic semantics for logic programs and their extensions. This basis of nonmonotonic reasoning is the main reason that allows high-level specifications and declarative problem solving in these frameworks.

Answer set programming has its roots in nonmonotonic reasoning, logic programming and AI. The basic idea in ASP is to use a formal system where theories are assigned answer sets (models, extensions, expansions) and to develop a solver capable of finding answer sets for these theories. A problem can then be solved by providing a theory in the formal system that captures the solutions of the problem as its answer sets. The idea is similar to, e.g., SAT based planning. In current ASP systems various classes of logic programs (normal/disjunctive) with stable model semantics are typically used as the underlying formal system and their application areas include planning, combinatorial problems, verification, and product configuration.

Similarly, abductive reasoning, as developed e.g. in abductive logic programming, offers a framework for declarative programming that can be used to address a variety of problems including updates in databases, belief revision, planning, diagnosis, natural language understanding, and default reasoning. Abductive logic programming, which remains closer to the resolution based computational model of logic programming, provides also an approach where it is possible to combine the high level specification of a problem with lower level constraint solving.

In both areas formal foundations have been intensively investigated. More recently, implementations of systems have become available, more and more users have been attracted and novel applications are being considered. In addition, the relationship between the two frameworks is now becoming clearer and some initial attempts are under way to study how they can enhance each other.

The special session is intended to bring together researchers from answer set programming and abductive reasoning as well as those interested in applications of these techniques. The idea is to examine the state of the art in implementing and applying the two approaches and to study their relationships. A non-exhaustive list of topics of interest include:

IMPORTANT DATES

Submission of papers: February 1, 2002
Acceptance decision by: February 28, 2002
Camera ready copy due: March 15, 2002

REGISTRATION

Please note that registration for NMR'2002 is a necessary condition for participating the meeting.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE