Lexic.us

Definition of Ontology

1. Noun. (computer science) a rigorous and exhaustive organization of some knowledge domain that is usually hierarchical and contains all the relevant entities and their relations.

2. Noun. The metaphysical study of the nature of being and existence.

Definition of Ontology

1. n. That department of the science of metaphysics which investigates and explains the nature and essential properties and relations of all beings, as such, or the principles and causes of being.

Definition of Ontology

1. Noun. (uncountable philosophy) The branch of metaphysics that addresses the nature or essential characteristics of being and of things that exist; the study of being ''qua'' being. ¹

2. Noun. (countable philosophy) The theory of a particular philosopher or school of thought concerning the fundamental types of entity in the universe. ¹

3. Noun. (logic) A logical system involving theory of classes, developed by Stanislaw Lesniewski (1886-1939). ¹

4. Noun. (context: computer science information science) A structure of concepts or entities within a domain, organized by relationships; a system model. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Ontology

1. the branch of philosophy that deals with being [n -GIES]

Medical Definition of Ontology

1. That department of the science of metaphysics which investigates and explains the nature and essential properties and relations of all beings, as such, or the principles and causes of being. Origin: Gr. The things which exist (pl.neut. Of, being, p.pr. Of to be): cf.F. Ontologie. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Ontology

ontogenies ontogeny ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny ontologic ontological ontological argument ontological arguments ontological proof ontological shock ontologically

ontologies ontologism ontologisms ontologist ontologists ontology (current term) ontop ontosophy onus onus probandi

onuses onward onward motion onwardly onwardness onwards onwing ony onyalai onych-

Literary usage of Ontology

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann (1913)
"ontology finally abstracts what is left—the essence, existence, substance, ... ontology simply endeavours to make that rudimentary knowledge more distinct ..."

2. Philosophy, Its Scope and Relations: An Introductory Course of Lectures by Henry Sidgwick, James Ward (1902)
"... ontology To show the difficulty of separating Epistemology from ontology I may ... as distinguished from Metaphysics in the narrower sense of ontology. ..."

3. Elements of Psychology: Included in a Critical Examination of Locke's Essay by Victor Cousin (1856)
"ontology is the science of Being. It is the knowledge of our own existence, of the existence of the external world, and of God. It is reason which gives us ..."

4. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann (1913)
"Nevertheless ontology ia dependent in the order of analysis, though not in the order of ... ontology is accused of dealing with the merely abstract. ..."

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