deontisets

Deontisets are a formal construct used in deontic logic and normative reasoning to model collections of statements that carry normative force. A deontiset D consists of a language of propositions and a tagging function that assigns to each proposition a deontic status, typically obligatory (O), forbidden (F), or permissible (P). Some formulations also allow additional statuses such as supererogatory (S) or context-dependent values. Deontisets are designed to represent the normative content of a domain, such as a legal code or moral policy, without committing to a single agent’s perspective.

Semantically, a deontiset is interpreted within a background theory that supplies inference rules or an underlying deontic logic. Closure properties specify how norms interact: if a proposition p is obligatory and p implies q, then q may be obligatory under certain systems; if something is forbidden, it may override permissibility in conflicts depending on the priority rules adopted. Consistency conditions typically require that no proposition is designated both as obligatory and its negation as obligatory, unless the framework permits explicit deontic conflict with a resolution mechanism.

Deontisets are used to support automated normative reasoning, policy analysis, and the formal assessment of legal codes or ethical guidelines. They provide a way to track which duties apply in a given context, detect potential conflicts, and simulate updates to normative content as conditions change. Relationships to related concepts include deontic logic, normative systems, and applications in moral artificial intelligence design.

Examples within a simple deontiset might include statements such as (pay_taxes, O) and (steal, F), with other norms like (help_others, P) depending on context. See also deontic logic, normative reasoning, and legal informatics.