Reasoning and Unification over Conceptual Graphs

This text is an exploration of automated reasoning and resolution in the expanding field of conceptual structures. Designed not only for computing scientists researching conceptual graphs, but also for anyone interested in exploring the design of knowledge bases, the book explores what are proving to be the fundamental methods for representing semantic relations in knowledge bases. While it provides the first comprehensive treatment of conceptual graph unification and reasoning, the book also addresses fundamental issues of graph matching, automated reasoning, knowledge bases, constraints, ontology and design. With a large number of examples, illustrations, and both formal and informal definitions and discussions, this book should prove useful as a tutorial for the reader new to conceptual graphs, or as a reference book for a senior researcher in artificial intelligence, knowledge representation or automated reasoning.