Abstract:

The talk presents a relation-algebraic framework for ontologies taking the form of a logic of descriptions termed ’Ontolog.’

After briefly recalling some constitutional and organisational principles for ontologies, we proceed by choosing algebraic lattices as a 'skeleton' language for ontologies, taking the concept inclusion relation as basis.

Besides the well-known lattice diagrams, which facilitate visual presentation of ontologies, the accompanying algebraic lattice operations enable compact equational specifications of ontologies forming what we call an ontotypology.

The skeleton ontologies are further enriched with attribution by way of binary relations (semantic roles) introduced by algebraic composition. The achieved logico-algebraic integration of feature structures (structured ontotypes) into ontological lattices with accompanying inheritance admit a downwards potentially infinite ``generative ontology'' enabling dynamic combining (refinement) and comparison of descriptions. These descriptions are then to serve as representations for NP’s as well as a basis for content-based retrieval.