The first introductory textbook on description logics, relevant to computer science, knowledge representation and the semantic web.

Description Logics are a family of knowledge representation languages that have been studied extensively in Artificial Intelligence over the last two decades. They are embodied in several knowledge-based systems and are used to develop various real-life applications. The Description Logic Handbook provides a thorough account of the subject, covering all aspects of research in this field, namely: theory, implementation, and applications. Its appeal will be broad, ranging from more theoretically-oriented readers, to those with more practically-oriented interests who need a sound and modern understanding of knowledge representation systems based on Description Logics. The chapters are written by some of the most prominent researchers in the field, introducing the basic technical material before taking the reader to the current state of the subject, and including comprehensive guides to the literature. In sum, the book will serve as a unique reference for the subject, and can also be used for self-study or in conjunction with Knowledge Representation and Artificial Intelligence courses.

Description logics (DLs) have a long tradition in computer science and knowledge representation, being designed so that domain knowledge can be described and so that computers can reason about this knowledge. DLs have recently gained increased importance since they form the logical basis of widely used ontology languages, in particular the web ontology language OWL. Written by four renowned experts, this is the first textbook on description logics. It is suitable for self-study by graduates and as the basis for a university course. Starting from a basic DL, the book introduces the reader to their syntax, semantics, reasoning problems and model theory and discusses the computational complexity of these reasoning problems and algorithms to solve them. It then explores a variety of reasoning techniques, knowledge-based applications and tools and it describes the relationship between DLs and OWL.

Description Logics (DLs) is a family of formalisms used to represent knowledge of a domain. They are equipped with a formal logic-based semantics. Knowledge representation systems based on description logics provide various inference capabilities that deduce implicit knowledge from the explicitly represented knowledge. A Proof Theory for Description Logics introduces Sequent Calculi and Natural Deduction for some DLs (ALC, ALCQ). Cut-elimination and Normalization are proved for the calculi. The author argues that such systems can improve the extraction of computational content from DLs proofs for explanation purposes.

Formal logic provides us with a powerful set of techniques for criticizing some arguments and showing others to be valid. These techniques are relevant to all of us with an interest in being skilful and accurate reasoners. In this highly accessible book, Peter Smith presents a guide to the fundamental aims and basic elements of formal logic. He introduces the reader to the languages of propositional and predicate logic, and then develops formal systems for evaluating arguments translated into these languages, concentrating on the easily comprehensible 'tree' method. His discussion is richly illustrated with worked examples and exercises. A distinctive feature is that, alongside the formal work, there is illuminating philosophical commentary. This book will make an ideal text for a first logic course, and will provide a firm basis for further work in formal and philosophical logic.

Ontological modelling today is applied in many areas of science and technology, including the Semantic Web. The W3C standard OWL defines one of the most important ontology languages based on the semantics of description logics. An alternative is to use rule languages in knowledge modelling, as proposed in the W3C’s RIF standard. So far, it has often been unclear how to combine both technologies without sacrificing essential computational properties. This book explains this problem and presents new solutions that have recently been proposed. Extensive introductory chapters provide the necessary background for understanding the goals and challenges of this field, whereas advanced chapters discuss novel solutions in full detail. Enriched knowledge representation languages that are introduced include DL Rules, Horn description logics, and DL+safe Rules. In each of these cases, emphasis is put on finding a favourable trade-off between expressiveness and computational complexity. This naturally leads to the light-weight DL rule language ELP which illustrates that expressive ontological modelling and tractable inferencing can indeed go together. Comprehensive references for further reading are provided throughout the book.

The vital resource for grading all assignments from the Introduction To Logic course, which includes:Instructional insights enhanced with worksheets and additional practice sheetsSpecial chapter reviews at the beginning of each new chapter worksheet created to help students and teachers grasp the scope of each section.OVERVIEW: Welcome to the world of logic. This logic course will both challenge and inspire students to be able to defend their faith against atheists and skeptics alike. Because learning logical terms and principles is often like learning a foreign language, the course has been developed to help students of logic learn the practical understanding of logical arguments. To make the course content easier to grasp, the schedule provides worksheets and practice sheets to help students better recognize logical fallacies, as well as review weeks for the quizzes and the final. The practice sheets in the back of the book offer practical study for both the final exam and for actual arguments you might encounter online or in the media.FEATURES: The calendar provides daily sessions with clear objectives and worksheets, quizzes, and tests, all based on the readings from the course book.