Weak Nonmonotonic Probabilistic Logics

Abstract

Towards probabilistic formalisms for resolving local inconsistencies under model-theoretic probabilistic entailment, we present probabilistic generalizations of Pearl's entailment in System Z and Lehmann's lexicographic entailment. We then analyze the nonmonotonic and semantic properties of the new notions of entailment. In particular, we show that they satisfy the rationality postulates of System P and the property of Rational Monotonicity. Moreover, we show that model-theoretic probabilistic entailment is stronger than the new notion of lexicographic entailment, which in turn is stronger than the new notion of entailment in System Z. As an important feature of the new notions of entailment in System Z and lexicographic entailment, we show that they coincide with model-theoretic probabilistic entailment whenever there are no local inconsistencies. We also show that the new notions of entailment in System Z and lexicographic entailment are proper generalizations of their classical counterparts. Finally, we present algorithms for reasoning under the new formalisms, and we give a precise picture of its computational complexity.