A Paralogical Semantics for the Prolog Cut

An explanation of the Prolog “cut” is given in paralogical terms. An extended language of logic programs, called SPC (Sequential Prolog with Conditionals), is defined and given an operational semantics. It is shown that a Prolog program with cuts (under some reasonable mode restrictions) can be translated into an SPC program, preserving Prolog's depth-first search strategy and treatment of cuts

A declarative characterization of SPC is then given. SPC uses an "ifthen" construct which cannot be given a first-order definition; however, the characterization can be given a “paralogical”, Fitting-style model theory