Classical Ontology Research Articles

CRISP REPRESENTATIONS AND REASONING FOR FUZZY ONTOLOGIES

Classical ontologies are not suitable to represent imprecise nor uncertain pieces of information. Fuzzy Description Logics were born to represent the former type of knowledge, but they require an appropriate fuzzy language to be agreed on and an important number of available resources to be adapted. This paper faces these problems by presenting a reasoning preserving procedure to obtain a crisp representation for a fuzzy extension of the logic [Formula: see text] which includes fuzzy nominals and trapezoidal membership functions, and uses Gödel implication in the semantics of fuzzy concept and role subsumption. This reduction makes it possible to reuse a crisp representation language as well as currently available reasoners. Our procedure is optimized with respect to related work, reducing the size of the resulting knowledge base. Finally, we also suggest some further optimizations before applying crisp reasoning.

Fuzzy description logics under Gödel semantics

Classical ontologies are not suitable to represent vague pieces of information, which has lead to the birth of Fuzzy Description Logics as an appropriate formalism to represent this type of knowledge. Different families of fuzzy operators lead to Fuzzy Description Logics with different properties. This paper studies Fuzzy Description Logics under a semantics given by the Gödel family of fuzzy operators. We investigate some logical properties and show the decidability of a fuzzy extension of the logic SROIQ , theoretical basis of the language OWL 1.1, by providing a reasoning preserving procedure to obtain a crisp representation for it. Additionally, we show how to represent some types of concept and role modifiers.

A Fuzzy Ontology Generation Framework from Fuzzy Relational Databases

Ontology is an important part of the W3C standards for the Semantic Web used to specify standard conceptual vocabularies to exchange data among systems, provide reusable knowledge bases, and facilitate interoperability across multiple heterogeneous systems and databases. However, current ontology is not sufficient for handling vague information that is commonly found in many application domains. A feasible solution is to import the fuzzy ability to extend the classical ontology. In this article, we propose a fuzzy ontology generation framework from the fuzzy relational databases, in which the fuzzy ontology consists of fuzzy ontology structure and instances. We simultaneously consider the schema and instances of the fuzzy relational databases, and respectively transform them to fuzzy ontology structure and fuzzy RDF data model. This can ensure the integrality of the original structure as well as the completeness and consistency of the original instances in the fuzzy relational databases.

Interview with Friedrich Kittler and Mark Hansen

THIS INTERVIEW with Friedrich Kittler and Mark Hansen was conducted at the University of Tokyo on 14 July 2007 – a day after Friedrich Kittler’s plenary address ‘Ontology of the Media’ and two days before Mark Hansen’s plenary paper ‘The Diachronic Thing’. The focus of the conversation is the absence of media in classical ontology. This, in turn, informs reflection on a range of contemporary issues, including: the connection of digital and analogue systems, the future of numbers in an age of high computation, and the cultural and linguistic specificity of ontological thought.

Quantum Physics and Classical Physics—In the Light of Quantum Logic

In contrast to the Copenhagen interpretation we consider quantum mechanics as universally valid and query whether classical physics is really intuitive and plausible. We discuss these problems within the quantum logic approach to quantum mechanics where the classical ontology is relaxed by reducing metaphysical hypotheses. On the basis of this weak ontology a formal logic of quantum physics can be established which is given by an orthomodular lattice. By means of the Soler condition and Piron's result one obtains the classical Hilbert spaces. However, this approach is not fully convincing. There is no plausible justification of Soler's law and the quantum ontology is partly too weak and partly too strong. We propose to replace this ontology by an ontology of unsharp properties and conclude that quantum mechanics is more intuitive than classical mechanics and that classical mechanics is not the macroscopic limit of quantum mechanics.

Espinosa e Merleau-Ponty: convergências?

A partir das reflexões do último Merleau-Ponty sobre a ontologia clássica e sua compreensão do ser, particularmente n’O visível e o invisível, podemos descobrir certas questões que aproximam sua filosofia da de Espinosa. Ao repassar algumas delas, esperamos mostrar ao menos a pertinência de uma investigação acerca das relações entre espinosismo e merleau-pontysmo.

Ontological Incoherence in Women in Love

The goal of classical ontology is to explain being or reality in terms of universally consistent first principles. But there are examples of subsequent ontologies whose first principles are not in harmony with each other, but instead are reciprocally antagonistic. In such cases, the ontology is incoherent. Even as Lawrence presupposes mind-body dualism, he revolutionizes the conception of its opponent terms. The problem of incoherence entails the problem of time--a topic that can be illuminated by comparing Lawrence with Bergson. Whereas Bergson, through the concept of duration, foregrounds the process of continuous accretion or development, Lawrence foregrounds the striving for definitive disconnection from that which has been accumulated. At bottom, Birkin seeks not the intimacy of interpersonal love, but connection with the impersonal creative principle. He does this through seeking satisfaction in new forms of love relationship, beyond those which he has already created and achieved.

Outline of an Uexküllian bio-ontology

Traditionally, ontology, or at least western ontology, bas been an anthropocentric enterprise, that takes only human experiences into account. In this paper I argue that a prolific biocentric ontology can be based on UexkülI's Umwelt theory. UexkülI offers the basis of an ontology according to which the study of experiences is a much wider field than it is as depicted by classical ontology and contemporary philosophy of consciousness. Based on the thoughts of the contemporary philosopher Thomas Nagel I claim that there might very well be Iifeforms that are totally unimaginable to us. I argue that this view is compatible with the Umwelt theory, and that it should be adopted by biosemioticians. Furthermore, I argue that a biosemiotic possibilism should be implemented. Followingly, one should not claim to know which characteristics of living beings are universally and necessarily valid, but restrict oneself to statements about life as we know it.

On the inverse FPR problem: Quantum is classical

The notion of quantum supports introduced by Foulis, Piron, and Randall can be used to construct combinatorial versions of contextualist hidden-variable models for finite quantum logics. The original logic can be uniquely recovered from appropriate such models as a solution of a combinatorial inverse problem. One can thus set up a classical ontology for a finite quantum logics that completely specifies it. Computer studies are used to explore the ideas.

Philosophy of Science and the Revival of Classical Ontology: A Reply

Philosophy of Science and the Revival of Classical Ontology: A Reply

Philosophy of Science and the Revival of Classical Ontology

Philosophy of Science and the Revival of Classical Ontology