Showing papers on "Ontology (information science) published in 1990"

Parts. A Study in Ontology

Abstract: Although the relationship of part to whole is one of the most fundamental there is, this is the first full-length study of this key concept. Showing that mereology, or the formal theory of part and whole, is essential to ontology, Simons surveys and critiques previous theories--especially the standard extensional view--and proposes a new account that encompasses both temporal and modal considerations. Simons's revised theory not only allows him to offer fresh solutions to long-standing problems, but also has far-reaching consequences for our understanding of a host of classical philosophical concepts.

Cyc: a mid-term report

Abstract: After explicating the need for a large commonsense knowledge base spanning human consensus knowledge, we report on many of the lessons learned over the first five years of attempting its construction. We have come a long way in terms of methodology, representation language, techniques for efficient inferencing, the ontology of the knowledge base, and the environment and infrastructure in which the knowledge base is being built. We describe the evolution of Cyc and its current state and close with a look at our plans and expectations for the coming five years, including an argument for how and why the project might conclude at the end of this time.

Ontology in Walter Burley's Last Commentary on the Ars Vetus

Abstract: Medieval scholars and historians of logic have not generally done justice to Walter Burley's thought. On the one hand, he has been regarded as an "ultrarealist," a supporter of extreme theses about the problem of universals and the meaning of propositions, although with no clear account of the inner reason for his metaphysical and semantic choices. On the other, he has been misconstrued as holding a mere variation of more moderate (but, above all, better known) positions. Furthermore, his theories have too often been studied only as a means to a clearer understanding of Ockham—thus dwarfing the real worth and interest of Burley's doctrines in their own right. In fact, in terms of originality and influence the Doctor Planus et Perspicuus was one of the most significant thinkers of the Middle Ages. In this article, I take a step towards rectifying this situation, by offering an ordered introduction to Burley's main metaphysical theories in his last commentary on the Ars Vetus (AD 1337), the final output of his very long career as a Master of Arts in the main universities of his time.1

Events Without Times An Essay On Ontology

Abstract: Introduction . 1 Past, Present and Future 2 The Nature of States 7 Temporal Relations 9 Events 11 Beginnings and Processes 14 The Essential Properties of Events ...... 17 "How Many Times?" 19 Conclusion ...... 22

Shifting ontological perspectives in reasoning about physical systems

Abstract: Commitment to an ontological perspective is a primary aspect of reasoning about the physical world For complex analytic tasks, the ability to switch between different ontologies to represent the same target system can be critical Supplementing the standard device ontology for electronic circuits, we outline elements of a charge-carrier (CC) ontology for reasoning about electronics Having two ontologies extends our range of reasoning, but raises the issue of how to control their application We propose a set of ontological-choice rules to govern the process of ontological shift and demonstrate its effectiveness with examples involving the two ontologies in reasoning about electronic circuits

A reason for theoretical terms

Abstract: The presence of nonobservational vocabulary is shown to be necessary for wide application of a conservative principle of theory revision.

Modal queries about partially-ordered plans

Abstract: In order to extract useful information from an intelligent planner about the events and states with which it deals, it is necessary to have some formal characterisation of the underlying ontology, and to define notions of ‘ necessity’ and ‘ possibility’ in terms of those constructs. A formal language is defined for making modal statements of various types, together with a semantics in terms of states, plans and executions. This language is intended to represent the meanings of modal constructs such as might be found in English queries. Various deductive relationships can be characterised within a planner' s knowledge base, that are relevant to the evaluation of such queries. A representation of this kind has advantages and disadvantages as a basis for designing a working English language query interface to a real planner.

lntertextuality and ontology

Abstract: This is a pre-publication version of a chapter published by Manchester University Press. Manchester University Press's policy on open access can be found at http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/about/open_access.asp

Ontology as a Natural Extension of Predicate Calculus with Identity Equipped with Description

Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to show that a natural extension of the predicate calculus with identity (hereafter LI) enriched with some logico-linguistically proper devices leads us in quite a natural way to the axiom of Lesniewski's Ontology, and that Ontology in turn implies the theses of the LI thus enriched. In addition the degrees of extensionality of the enriched LI will be discussed. In showing this, the Russellian notion of description appropriately modified will play an essential role. Indeed it is evident that, in its semantic intention, the axiom of Ontology is quite similar to the Russellian theory of description.1 Hiz [1977] shows in fact that the Russellian definition of description is inferentially equivalent to the axiom of Ontology in a sense to be specified2, namely for semantic categories higher than that of names. The present paper will show the logical fact that LI suitably enriched is inferentially equivalent to Ontology for the lowest semantic category as well. As a consequence Lesniewski's Ontology is not and should not be regarded as a system which is rather unique and specific, being isolated from the usually accepted logical framework. It is a logically natural extension of Frege-Russellian logical system with identity and description. It is something which could well have been proven before, but as far as I know it has not yet been proven. This is certainly because of the ontological prejudice which has dominated the main stream of logical analysis since the very time when it was created by its founders3.

Automatic simulation model design from a situation theory based manufacturing system description

Abstract: This research is focused on the design and development of methodologies to automate the design process of simulation modeling from a situation-theory based system description and a scenario driven model scenario definition An effort is also made in this research to develop the conceptualization of the design process in order to understand the art of simulation modeling Some concepts which are inconsistently used in simulation literature are clarified in a hope to rationalize the terminology and to enhance the communication of the ideas across the simulation community One of the major achievements of this work is the investigation of the reasoning involved in the design process of simulation modeling including (1) the reasoning about the design of an ontology to capture a prestructured system description, (2) the reasoning involved in the simulation performance measures selection, dynamic boundary setting, and levels of detail specification for designing a model scenario of the generic model, and (3) the reasoning involved in the design of a simulation model To demonstrate that the approach is viable, a prototype system called Knowledge Based Framework (hereafter referred to as KBF) has been designed and developed KBF plays two roles It serves as a $specialist$ to clients because it guides clients in the structuring of a system description suitable for generic model design On the other hand, it serves as an $assistant$ to the human simulation specialist because it automates an initial simulation model design as well as provides support for the simulation specialist to evolve the design of a simulation model (Abstract shortened with permission of author)

The Fourth Way: A Theory of Knowledge

Abstract: Critique de l'ouvrage de R.Grossmann (1990) defendant l'empirisme epistemologique et le realisme ontologique.