Weak negation
In knowledge processing and formal logic , positivism takes place in weak negation (English: negation as failure). Theorem here is that if an atomic expression can not be proven by resolution , it is generally assumed that the expression is false. The weak negation is also used in the PROLOG programming language .
Pseudocode:
if (¬resolute (goal p)), then (assert ¬p)
The weak negation makes sense because it must be assumed that the knowledge gathered is always incomplete and that the resolution therefore often cannot deliver unambiguous results.
example
In Horn Clause form:
heizung_defekt :- ¬batterie_leer, heizgebläse_defekt
If the resolution cannot determine battery_depleted as true, it is assumed that battery_depleted does not apply. Thus heizung_defekt is true when heizgebläse_defekt is true.