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Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme

Livio Robaldo Orcid Logo, Gianluca Pozzato

Journal of Logic and Computation, Volume: 35, Issue: 8, Start page: exaf054

Swansea University Author: Livio Robaldo Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1093/logcom/exaf054

Abstract

This paper introduces a computational ontology for deontic reasoning, fully implemented in RDF* and SPARQL*, designed to support reasoning in the presence of irresolvable conflicts. These are situations in which two or more norms prescribe incompatible obligations, prohibitions or permissions, witho...

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Published in: Journal of Logic and Computation
ISSN: 0955-792X 1465-363X
Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2025
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70457
first_indexed 2025-09-22T13:01:03Z
last_indexed 2025-12-05T18:07:34Z
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spelling 2025-12-04T10:54:11.3890519 v2 70457 2025-09-22 Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme b711cf9f3a7821ec52bd1e53b4f6cf9e 0000-0003-4713-8990 Livio Robaldo Livio Robaldo true false 2025-09-22 HRCL This paper introduces a computational ontology for deontic reasoning, fully implemented in RDF* and SPARQL*, designed to support reasoning in the presence of irresolvable conflicts. These are situations in which two or more norms prescribe incompatible obligations, prohibitions or permissions, without any clear priority among them. Existing approaches in formal deontic logic are typically limited to the propositional level, focused primarily on obligation as the central modality, and are rarely implemented in a way that is compatible with Semantic Web standards. The framework presented here addresses these limitations by providing a first-order, Resource Description Framework (RDF)-based formalization of all standard deontic modalities: obligations, permissions, optionality and their negations. It supports the explicit representation and reasoning about violations and conflicts while also accounting for contextual constraints. The ontology integrates contributions from three research areas that have so far largely developed in isolation: RDF-based LegalTech solutions, reification-based models of Natural Language Semantics and conflict-tolerant approaches in formal deontic logic. By incorporating contradictions and conflicts into the object language, the ontology supports advanced reasoning tasks within a framework that adheres to W3C standards. This makes it suitable for integration into industrial LegalTech applications where normative reasoning is required. Journal Article Journal of Logic and Computation 35 8 exaf054 Oxford University Press (OUP) 0955-792X 1465-363X 1 12 2025 2025-12-01 10.1093/logcom/exaf054 COLLEGE NANME Hillary Rodham Clinton Law School COLLEGE CODE HRCL Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) The research presented in this paper has received funding from The Alan Turing Institute UK-Italy Trustworthy AI Visiting Researcher Programme. 2025-12-04T10:54:11.3890519 2025-09-22T13:42:46.2117473 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law Livio Robaldo 0000-0003-4713-8990 1 Gianluca Pozzato 2 70457__35482__5df25f3bc1c6419c8448c628f6a1e81d.pdf Handling_irresolvable_conflicts_in_the_Semantic_Web.pdf 2025-10-27T10:59:55.0444072 Output 967561 application/pdf Accepted Manuscript true false
title Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
spellingShingle Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
Livio Robaldo
title_short Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
title_full Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
title_fullStr Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
title_full_unstemmed Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
title_sort Handling irresolvable conflicts in the Semantic Web: an RDF-based conflict-tolerant version of the Deontic Traditional Scheme
author_id_str_mv b711cf9f3a7821ec52bd1e53b4f6cf9e
author_id_fullname_str_mv b711cf9f3a7821ec52bd1e53b4f6cf9e_***_Livio Robaldo
author Livio Robaldo
author2 Livio Robaldo
Gianluca Pozzato
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Logic and Computation
container_volume 35
container_issue 8
container_start_page exaf054
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
issn 0955-792X
1465-363X
doi_str_mv 10.1093/logcom/exaf054
publisher Oxford University Press (OUP)
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law
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description This paper introduces a computational ontology for deontic reasoning, fully implemented in RDF* and SPARQL*, designed to support reasoning in the presence of irresolvable conflicts. These are situations in which two or more norms prescribe incompatible obligations, prohibitions or permissions, without any clear priority among them. Existing approaches in formal deontic logic are typically limited to the propositional level, focused primarily on obligation as the central modality, and are rarely implemented in a way that is compatible with Semantic Web standards. The framework presented here addresses these limitations by providing a first-order, Resource Description Framework (RDF)-based formalization of all standard deontic modalities: obligations, permissions, optionality and their negations. It supports the explicit representation and reasoning about violations and conflicts while also accounting for contextual constraints. The ontology integrates contributions from three research areas that have so far largely developed in isolation: RDF-based LegalTech solutions, reification-based models of Natural Language Semantics and conflict-tolerant approaches in formal deontic logic. By incorporating contradictions and conflicts into the object language, the ontology supports advanced reasoning tasks within a framework that adheres to W3C standards. This makes it suitable for integration into industrial LegalTech applications where normative reasoning is required.
published_date 2025-12-01T05:32:58Z
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