ontology
Philosophy of existence
People use ontology today in two distinct but related ways.
The classical meaning of ontology is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of existence.
When people talk about ontology in relation to information or computer science, the meaning is closer to taxonomy, which is a structure of concepts, words, or other entities organized by their relationships.
Ontologies of this kind usually have a hierarchic structure and resemble an organizational chart, with the most general entries at the top branching downwards to more specific entries.
Existing as something
- realityWhat actually exists
- substancePhysical material with mass
- existenceState of being real
- universalAffecting all equally
particular · monism · dualism · pluralism · idealism · materialism · phenomenon · transcendental
Inherent essential nature
- natureInherent quality or disposition
- coreCentral essential portion
- intrinsicBelonging by nature
- constitutiveForming essential structure
inherent · innate · underlying · archetype · quintessence · kernel · pith · gist
Science of categorical arrangement
- categorizationArranging into groups
- typologyClassification by shared traits
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
nomenclature · genus · species · family · order · phylum · kingdom · domain
Network of related meanings
- OWLSemantic web standard
- classGrouping by shared traits
- propertySomething owned or inherent
- relationConnection or kin
instance · individual · reasoning · inference · schema · vocabulary · knowledge graph · axiom
Understood facts and skills
- theoryExplanatory set of principles
- cognitionMental knowledge acquisition
- abstractionDistilling to essential qualities
- principleFundamental truth or standard
axiom · postulate · proposition · inference · deduction · paradigm · phenomenology · hermeneutics
State of existing fact
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
- presenceState of being somewhere
- materialityState of being consequential
- corporealityQuality of having substance
manifestation · emergence · occurrence · factuality · concreteness · instantiation · realization · becoming
Distinguishing one from many
- particularitySpecific distinguishing feature
- samenessState of being identical
- persistenceContinuing despite difficulty
- personal identityOne's defining characteristics
thisness · continuity · change · criteria · substance theory
being
Existing as something
universal · particular · monism · dualism · pluralism · idealism · materialism · phenomenon · transcendental · immaterial
quiddity
Inherent essential nature
constitutive · inherent · innate · underlying · archetype · quintessence · kernel · pith · gist · whatness
taxonomy
Science of categorical arrangement
- categorizationArranging into groups
- typologyClassification by shared traits
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
classification · nomenclature · genus · species · family · order · phylum · kingdom · domain · class
semantic web
Network of related meanings
relation · instance · individual · reasoning · inference · schema · vocabulary · knowledge graph · axiom · assertion
knowledge
Understood facts and skills
- theoryExplanatory set of principles
- cognitionMental knowledge acquisition
- abstractionDistilling to essential qualities
principle · axiom · postulate · proposition · inference · deduction · paradigm · phenomenology · hermeneutics · semiotics
actuality
State of existing fact
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
- presenceState of being somewhere
- materialityState of being consequential
corporeality · manifestation · emergence · occurrence · factuality · concreteness · instantiation · realization · becoming · persistence
individuation
Distinguishing one from many
- particularitySpecific distinguishing feature
- samenessState of being identical
- persistenceContinuing despite difficulty
personal identity · thisness · continuity · change · criteria · substance theory
- fields of studyart, music, mathematics, history, biology
- academic fieldsmathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history
- classificationcategory, classification, group, cataloging, grouping
- classificationsclassified, hierarchical, class, unclassified, categorical
- disciplinesbiology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology
- humanitiesphilosophy, history, literature, philosophy class, novels
ontologyepistemology
Theory of knowledge
phenomenology · axiology · ethics · aesthetics · logic
ontologypractical application
Real-world employment of knowledge
particulars · data · observation · praxis · applied research
ontologynothingness
Complete absence of existence
nonexistence · nihilism · void · nullity · nominalism