Deductive Database System - 1

A deductive database system is a database which can make deductions based on the rules and facts stored in the database. A deduction is an inference of additional rules or facts to add to the database, based on what the datbase already knows to be true.

A deductive database uses an inference engine and a declarative language, such as Prolog to specify the rules and facts of the database.

For example, in Prolog a deductive database may be setup via the following:

% Facts comprising the database
parent(adam,able).
parent(adam,cain).
male(adam).

% Rules comprising the database
father(X,Y) :- parent(X,Y), male(X).
sibling(X,Y) :- …

Using both the sections above a deductive database can be established and used to evaluate Prolog queries, such as ?- father(adam,able).