The F-logic approach for description languages

The Frame-logic (F-logic) approach of [20] is suggested as an underlying framework for description languages. F-logic is shown to provide a full account for description languages without losing the direct semantics and the descriptive nature. It can support such desirable features as high-order role fillers, collective entities, intensions, roles as first-class objects, and n-ary relationships. Yet, its semantics is first order. In an F-logic based description language, few description constructs are built in, and concepts, roles, and terminological operators are definable. The discussion of desirable features in descriptions is made possible within a single, uniform framework that also coherently integrates with logic programming and deductive, object-oriented database technology. Typical descriptive operators can be defined in the language, thereby yielding a flexible description language in which not all operators must be built in.