Computational Errors and Suspension in a PWK Epistemic Agent

Abstract

Abstract In a computational program there can be two kinds of errors: (i) critical errors and (ii) non-critical errors. A critical error stops the program in a global way, which means the error cannot be fixed in the subsequent computation process. A non-critical error partially stops the computation program, and the error can be fixed in the subsequent computation process. We argue that two kinds of errors correspond to two kinds of suspension and can be modeled using Paraconsistent Weak Kleene ($ {\textsf{PWK}}$) belief revision theory, with the help of a new interpretation of the third value of $ {\textsf{PWK}}$, that is, off-topic. According to this new interpretation, if a proposition obtains the third value $\textbf{u}$, it means it is off-topic. Within our framework of $ {\textsf{PWK}}$ belief revision theory, we will show that a non-critical error corresponds to a non-critical suspension and that a critical error corresponds to a critical suspension.