The paper proposes a new type of deductive database, whose structure is based on Aristotle's rules of the syllogism. This type of database demonstrates the advantages of Aristotelian logic over more modern formalisms for applications in which natural and informative interaction with human users is important. The structure and deductive procedures of the database are described and compared to other work in the area, and the unique capabilities of its user interaction are demonstrated by examples from a session with a prototype system.
This paper describes the author's Master's thesis, written at the Weizmann Institute of Science, under the supervision of Professor Amir Pnueli (Mozes, 1987).
