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Proof Search in Multi-Agent Dialogues for Modal Logic
Sticht, Martin (2018): Proof Search in Multi-Agent Dialogues for Modal Logic, Bamberg: University of Bamberg Press, doi: 10.20378/irbo-52527.
Author:
Publisher Information:
Year of publication:
2018
Pages:
ISBN:
978-3-86309-599-4
978-3-86309-600-7
Supervisor: ;
Fermüller, Christian
Source/Other editions:
Parallel erschienen als Druckausg. in der University of Bamberg Press, 2018 (22,50 EUR)
Language:
English
Remark:
Dissertation, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, 2018
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DOI:
Abstract:
In computer science, and also in philosophy, modal logics play an important role in various areas. They can be used to model knowledge structures among software-agents, behaviour of computer systems, or ontologies. They also provide mathematical tools to perform reasoning in these models, e.g., to extract common knowledge of agents, check whether security-relevant problems might occur when running a program, or to detect contradictions in a set of terminological definitions. Intuitionistic or constructive propositional logic can be considered as a special kind of modal logic. Constructive modal logics, as a combination of intuitionistic propositional logic and classical modal logics, describe a family of modal systems which are, compared to the classical variant, more restrictive concerning the validity of formulas.
To prove validity of a statement formalized in such a logic, various reasoning procedures (also called calculi) have been investigated. There are especially many variants of sequent and tableau systems which can be used easily to find proofs by applying given syntactical rules one after another. Sometimes there are different possibilities to find a proof for the same formula within the same calculus. It also happens that a bad choice of non-invertible rule applications at the wrong time makes it impossible to finish the proof successfully, although the formula is provable. For this reason, a normalization of deductions in a calculus is desired. This restricts the possibilities to apply rules arbitrarily and emphasizes the situations in which significant, non-invertible rule applications are necessary. Such a normalization is enforced in so-called focused sequent systems.
Another attempt to find a normalized calculus leads to dialogical logic, a game-theoretic reasoning technique. Usually, two players, one proponent and one opponent, argue about an assertion, expressed as a formula and stated by the proponent at the beginning of the play.
The kinds of arguments, namely attacks and defences, are bound to special game rules. These are designed in such a way that the proponent has a winning strategy in the game if and only if his initial statement is a valid formula. The dialogical approach is very flexible as the game rules can be adjusted easily. Sets of rules exist to perform reasoning in many different kinds of logic, however proving soundness and completeness of dialogical calculi is complex and, if at all, often only considered very roughly in the literature. The standard two-player dialogues do not have much potential to enforce normalization like focus sequent systems.
However, it turns out that introducing further proponent-players who fight against one opponent in a round-based setting leads to a normalization as described above. The flexibility of two-player games is largely preserved in multi-proponent dialogues. Other ordinary sequent systems can easily be transferred into the dialectic setting to achieve a normalization.
Further, the round-based scheduling induces a method to parallelize the reasoning process.
Modifying the game rules makes it possible to construct new intermediate or even more restrictive logics.
In this work, dialogical systems with multiple proponents are presented for intuitionistic propositional logic and modal logics S4 and CS4. Starting with the former one, it is shown that the normalization can be transferred easily to both the latter systems. Informal game rules are introduced and, to make them concrete and unambiguous, translated into the dialogical sequent-style calculi DiaSeqI, DiaSeqS4, and DiaSeqCS4. An extra system for intuitionistic logic, which guarantees termination in proof searches, even if the target formula is not valid, is also provided. Soundness and completeness of all these presented dialogical sequent calculi is proven formally, by showing that it is always possible to translate derivations in the game-oriented approach into another sound and complete sequent system and vice versa. Thereby, a new (ordinary) multi-conclusion sequent calculus for CS4 is introduced for which adequateness is shown, too.
The multi-proponent dialogical systems of this work are compared to different sequent calculi and other dialogical attempts found in literature. A comprehensive survey of such approaches is also part of this thesis.
To prove validity of a statement formalized in such a logic, various reasoning procedures (also called calculi) have been investigated. There are especially many variants of sequent and tableau systems which can be used easily to find proofs by applying given syntactical rules one after another. Sometimes there are different possibilities to find a proof for the same formula within the same calculus. It also happens that a bad choice of non-invertible rule applications at the wrong time makes it impossible to finish the proof successfully, although the formula is provable. For this reason, a normalization of deductions in a calculus is desired. This restricts the possibilities to apply rules arbitrarily and emphasizes the situations in which significant, non-invertible rule applications are necessary. Such a normalization is enforced in so-called focused sequent systems.
Another attempt to find a normalized calculus leads to dialogical logic, a game-theoretic reasoning technique. Usually, two players, one proponent and one opponent, argue about an assertion, expressed as a formula and stated by the proponent at the beginning of the play.
The kinds of arguments, namely attacks and defences, are bound to special game rules. These are designed in such a way that the proponent has a winning strategy in the game if and only if his initial statement is a valid formula. The dialogical approach is very flexible as the game rules can be adjusted easily. Sets of rules exist to perform reasoning in many different kinds of logic, however proving soundness and completeness of dialogical calculi is complex and, if at all, often only considered very roughly in the literature. The standard two-player dialogues do not have much potential to enforce normalization like focus sequent systems.
However, it turns out that introducing further proponent-players who fight against one opponent in a round-based setting leads to a normalization as described above. The flexibility of two-player games is largely preserved in multi-proponent dialogues. Other ordinary sequent systems can easily be transferred into the dialectic setting to achieve a normalization.
Further, the round-based scheduling induces a method to parallelize the reasoning process.
Modifying the game rules makes it possible to construct new intermediate or even more restrictive logics.
In this work, dialogical systems with multiple proponents are presented for intuitionistic propositional logic and modal logics S4 and CS4. Starting with the former one, it is shown that the normalization can be transferred easily to both the latter systems. Informal game rules are introduced and, to make them concrete and unambiguous, translated into the dialogical sequent-style calculi DiaSeqI, DiaSeqS4, and DiaSeqCS4. An extra system for intuitionistic logic, which guarantees termination in proof searches, even if the target formula is not valid, is also provided. Soundness and completeness of all these presented dialogical sequent calculi is proven formally, by showing that it is always possible to translate derivations in the game-oriented approach into another sound and complete sequent system and vice versa. Thereby, a new (ordinary) multi-conclusion sequent calculus for CS4 is introduced for which adequateness is shown, too.
The multi-proponent dialogical systems of this work are compared to different sequent calculi and other dialogical attempts found in literature. A comprehensive survey of such approaches is also part of this thesis.
GND Keywords: ; ;
Mathematische Logik
Spieltheorie
Mehragentensystem
DDC Classification:
RVK Classification:
Type:
Doctoralthesis
Activation date:
October 26, 2018
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