A rule-based implementation of fuzzy tableau reasoning

The integration of distinct reasoning styles such as the ones exploited by description logics and rule-based systems is still an open challenge because of the differences among them. Such integration may be achieved by following two complementary approaches: loose integration vs. tight integration. Loosely integrated hybrid systems couple existing tools, so they have to handle mutual interactions and keep their models aligned. Tightly-coupled hybrid systems, instead, are based on a unified model supporting both reasoning styles. In this paper we present a basic implementation of a fuzzy tableau algorithm for description logics by means of rules. It is a step towards tight integration because it requires only one rule engine while preserving the semantics of both reasoning styles. In particular, the adoption of a fuzzy tableau in a fuzzy rule engine allowed us to extend the expressiveness of the latter while handling description logics reasoning coherently.