A Generalized Disjunctive Paraconsistent Data Model for Negative and Disjunctive Information

Abstract

This paper presents a generalization of the disjunctive paraconsistent relational data model in which disjunctive positive and negative information can be represented explicitly and manipulated. There are situations where the closed world assumption to infer negative facts is not valid or undesirable and there is a need to represent and reason with negation explicitly. We consider explicit disjunctive negation in the context of disjunctive databases as there is an interesting interplay between these two types of information. Generalized disjunctive paraconsistent relation is introduced as the main structure in this model. The relational algebra is appropriately generalized to work on generalized disjunctive paraconsistent relations and their correctness is established.