Even surrounded by so much technology, human beings do not abandon their constant search for the reason for their own existence. Since the most ancient times to their own time, mankind has searched for answers and meanings about themselves. See the meaning of ontology and how it has aided these discoveries.

What is ontology?

Ontology is a branch of philosophy that seeks the central reason for being in the world In this, it searches for the elements that have validated and continue to qualify our existence, not to mention the observation of reality itself, whether we see it or not, the natural and the "manufactured".

It ended up fitting in as a general branch of metaphysics, which differs from psychology, cosmology and theology, but ontology is more abstract and comprehensive in this area. The other items mentioned here are categorized as specific or more independent branches.

Because of this it and metaphysics end up being seen as equivalent synonyms, but this is not the truth. Metaphysics is the origin of ontological methods, fostering their distribution and categorization.

Cradle

The word ontology has its origin and growth from the Greek language. ontos means "to be", and logia Here she lumped together all questions that are related to the meaning of existence and being. In fact, it was thanks to the German philosopher Christian Wolff that the term became popular, defined with the science of being as being .

Over time it gained more and more space in deep discussions about the essence of life. In the 19th century it was shaped by neo-scholastics who dealt with the supreme genera of being in the 1st rational science. Moreover, the German idealism taught by Hegel and fueled by self-consciousness, helped to see ontology as the logic of being.

Already in the 20th century, the relationship between ontology and metaphysics gave rise to new ideas. Among them, Husserl, who saw ontology as the material science of essences and already formalized. On the other hand, for Heidegger, this is the first movement to existential metaphysics. It is clear, therefore, that ontology has had several definitions.

Questions

Over time, people have asked basic questions about the development of the ontological search process. In this gave rise to simple questions, but whose existence encouraged great movements in the philosophical community The fundamental questions are:

What can be considered existing?

Here, reality itself is questioned, in search of what is in fact concrete, and what is projection.

What does it mean to be?

This question reminds us that it is not enough just to be alive. It is also necessary to find the reasons that contributed to the meaning of our existence.

Which entities exist and why?

Besides mankind, have there been superior ways of life? What have we not fully realized yet? These questions are very important for our society.

What are the various modes of existence?

Besides this, are there other types of life, such as the afterlife, for example? The answer to this affects our lives in a direct way.

Given the depth, philosophers strove to use different modes of classification to resolve these questions.

Why use an ontology?

Although we have evolved a lot in the search for improvement, mankind has not explored even 10% of what is possible. Much of this is because we are limited to the resources and ways of thinking of each era However, the ontology helps with a necessary impulse to work on the simple but very valuable premises for growth.

For example, the materialization of some concepts is best worked out when we are guided by this science. It is the key element in opening up innovative perspectives that can raise our expectations of something new. Even though it has its origins in the distant past, it has a relevance in the near future.

Ontology in Computer Science

The use of ontologies has always been one of the foundations of the Semantic Web. As a result, it has proven to be one of the key technologies, giving rise to a number of apps. In short, its use has served to process a vast amount of data more effectively.

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Many authors validate and confirm the use of ontologies in solving problems with technological construction In this, rich databases are created for the informational process of knowledge:

• The basic assumptions that are implicit in the databases, thus preventing the reuse and sharing of the knowledge represented;
• the absence of common generic models on which we can build databases and apps in a simple way;
• the absence of viable technology that allows incremental accumulation of data (i.e. extending the database quickly).

However, the creation of apps based on open data cannot be so static and targeted to specific problems. The databases you build need to be connected, shared, and have the ability to handle a lot of knowledge.

Divisions

Many philosophical positions end up contributing to the schism of perspectives on ontology. In this way, the:

Monism and Dualism

Monism indicates that reality is made up only of the universe, the only element In this, all that exists beyond it are the different paths used for it to structure itself.

Dualism, on the other hand, understands that reality is formed by two planes, for example, the material and the spiritual, the body and the soul.

Determinism and Indeterminism

Determinism shows nature as a connected whole, without free will. In this way, our choices are the results of things that have already happened.

Indeterminism already removes the link of cause and effect mentioned in the previous item. Having done this, it links free will to anthropological issues, but without defending all choices made at random.

Materialism and Idealism

Ontological materialism shows that something is only real when it has a material substance .

Finally, idealism indicates that reality is spiritual, and matter is an illusion of truth.

Examples of ontology

Although it seems like a difficult subject to work with, ontology can be better explained in practice. Its examples show very well how the process occurs in real life. So we have it:

Light Ontologies

Light ontologies are not concerned with defining in detail the concepts Basically, they focus on defining the taxonomy that indicates and represents the order of these concepts. For example, sites like Yahoo! and AOL use them to categorize a large amount of data.

Dense or heavy Ontologies

Besides focusing on taxonomy, they also target the semantics between the concepts. To develop them you need to have:

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• the definition of the concepts;
• the organization based on specific principles;
• the semantic definition of concepts and relationships.

Therefore, it is vital to create a reusable and shareable knowledge base, and thus to define the heavyweight ontologies.

Domain and Task Ontologies

The domain ontology represents the knowledge about a topic, while the task ontology shows the ability to apply this knowledge to solve problems in various situations. By making the right distinction, it becomes feasible to create more shareable, modular, and extensive knowledge bases and systems.

Final thoughts on ontology

In short, the work with ontology allowed the human being to go beyond his limits to enter a new world Over time, it has undergone minor resignifications and expansions to better meet the demands; however, its essence remains strong and protected with the valuable results it has achieved. Therefore, its importance is remarkable.

As said above, it sounds difficult, but its application in the real world shows how well it works. After all, defining our existence and purpose remains one of the biggest drivers in our lives. And choosing the right path to follow has a direct influence on the results. Therefore, it is always good to know more about ontology.

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