Declarative Semantics for Active Rules

Title: Declarative Semantics for Active Rules

Research Question: How can we develop a clear and intuitive semantics for active rules, which are used in active databases to automatically trigger rules in response to events?

Methodology: The researchers proposed a declarative semantics approach for active rules. They considered several (partial) stable model semantics, previously defined for deductive rules, such as well-founded, max deterministic, unique total stable model, total stable model, and maximal stable model semantics. They proposed a framework that allows natural integration of deductive and active rules and can be applied to queries with function symbols or to queries over infinite databases.

Results: The framework permits a natural integration of deductive and active rules and can be applied to queries with function symbols or to queries over infinite databases. The researchers provided an example of an active program with rules that define a sort of constraints on the insertion and deletion of tuples to guarantee the integrity of data. They demonstrated that the procedural evaluation of the active rules can generate an infinite loop, highlighting the need for a careful writing of rules to avoid such issues.

Implications: The research has implications for the development of active databases. It provides a clear and intuitive semantics for active rules, which can help in the design of programs with desirable behavior. The framework can also be applied to other areas such as expert systems and knowledge bases, making it a versatile and valuable tool for researchers and practitioners in these fields.

Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0312042v1 Authors: arXiv ID: 0312042v1