Conceptual graph

A conceptual graph (CG) is a formalism for knowledge representation. In the first published paper on
CGs, John F. Sowa (Sowa 1976) used them to represent the conceptual schemas used in database systems.
The first book on CGs (Sowa 1984) applied them to a wide range of topics in artificial intelligence,
computer science, and cognitive science.

Research branches
Since 1984, the model has been developed along three main directions: a graphical interface for first-order
logic, a diagrammatic calculus of logics, and a graph-based knowledge representation and reasoning model.

Graphical interface for first-order logic

In this approach, a formula in first-order logic (predicate

calculus) is represented by a labeled graph.

Elsie the cat is sitting on a mat

A linear notation, called the Conceptual Graph Interchange
Format (CGIF), has been standardized in the ISO standard for
common logic.

The diagram above is an example of the display form for a conceptual graph. Each box is called a concept
node, and each oval is called a relation node. In CGIF, this CG would be represented by the following
statement:

[Cat Elsie] [Sitting *x] [Mat *y] (agent ?x Elsie) (location ?x ?y)

In CGIF, brackets enclose the information inside the concept nodes, and parentheses enclose the
information inside the relation nodes. The letters x and y, which are called coreference labels, show how
the concept and relation nodes are connected. In CLIF, those letters are mapped to variables, as in the
following statement:

(exists ((x Sitting) (y Mat)) (and (Cat Elsie) (agent x Elsie)

(location x y)))

As this example shows, the asterisks on the coreference labels *x and *y in CGIF map to existentially
quantified variables in CLIF, and the question marks on ?x and ?y map to bound variables in CLIF. A
universal quantifier, represented @every*z in CGIF, would be represented forall (z) in CLIF.

Reasoning can be done by translating graphs into logical formulas, then applying a logical inference
engine.

Diagrammatic calculus of logics

Another research branch continues the work on existential graphs of Charles Sanders Peirce, which were
one of the origins of conceptual graphs as proposed by Sowa. In this approach, developed in particular by
Dau (Dau 2003), conceptual graphs are conceptual diagrams rather than graphs in the sense of graph
theory, and reasoning operations are performed by operations on these diagrams.

Graph-based knowledge representation and reasoning model

Key features of GBKR, the graph-based knowledge representation and reasoning model developed by
Chein and Mugnier and the Montpellier group (Chein & Mugnier 2009), can be summarized as follows:

All kinds of knowledge (ontology, rules, constraints and facts) are labeled graphs, which
provide an intuitive and easily understandable means to represent knowledge.
Reasoning mechanisms are based on graph notions, basically the classical notion of graph
homomorphism; this allows, in particular, to link basic reasoning problems to other
fundamental problems in computer science (e.g., problems concerning conjunctive queries
in relational databases, or constraint satisfaction problems).
The formalism is logically founded, i.e., it has a semantics in first-order logic and the
inference mechanisms are sound and complete with respect to deduction in first-order logic.
From a computational viewpoint, the graph homomorphism notion was recognized in the
1990s as a central notion, and complexity results and efficient algorithms have been
obtained in several domains.

COGITANT and COGUI are tools that implement the GBKR model. COGITANT is a library of C++
classes that implement most of the GBKR notions and reasoning mechanisms. COGUI is a graphical user
interface dedicated to the construction of a GBKR knowledge base (it integrates COGITANT and, among
numerous functionalities, it contains a translator from GBKR to RDF/S and conversely).

See also
Alphabet of human thought
Chunking (psychology)
Resource Description Framework (RDF)
SPARQL (Graph Query Language)
Semantic network

References
Chein, Michel; Mugnier, Marie-Laure (2009). Graph-based Knowledge Representation:
Computational Foundations of Conceptual Graphs (http://www.lirmm.fr/gbkrbook/). Springer.
doi:10.1007/978-1-84800-286-9 (https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-1-84800-286-9). ISBN 978-
1-84800-285-2.
Dau, F. (2003). "The Logic System of Concept Graphs with Negation and Its Relationship to
Predicate Logic". Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer. 2892.
Sowa, John F. (July 1976). "Conceptual Graphs for a Data Base Interface" (http://www.resear
ch.ibm.com/journal/rd/204/ibmrd2004E.pdf) (PDF). IBM Journal of Research and
Development. 20 (4): 336–357. doi:10.1147/rd.204.0336 (https://doi.org/10.1147%2Frd.204.
0336).
Sowa, John F. (1984). Conceptual Structures: Information Processing in Mind and Machine
(https://archive.org/details/conceptualstruct0000sowa). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
ISBN 978-0-201-14472-7.
Velardi, Paola; Pazienza, Maria Teresa; De' Giovanetti, Mario (March 1988). "Conceptual
graphs for the analysis and generation of sentences". IBM Journal of Research and
 Development. IBM Corp. Riverton, NJ, USA. 32 (2): 251–267. doi:10.1147/rd.322.0251 (http
s://doi.org/10.1147%2Frd.322.0251).

External links
Conceptual Structures Home Page (http://conceptualstructures.org). (Old site: Conceptual
Graphs Home Page (http://conceptualgraphs.org))
Annual international conferences (ICCS) (https://dblp.org/streams/conf/iccs) at DBLP
Conceptual Graphs on John F. Sowa's Website (http://www.jfsowa.com/cg/index.htm)

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