Coordinating and Integrating Faceted Classification with Rich Semantic Modeling

TL;DR

This paper explores integrating faceted classifications like AAT with formal ontologies such as BFO2 to enhance semantic modeling and coordination in complex domains like biomedicine and technology.

Contribution

It proposes extensions to the AAT to enable better integration with formal ontologies and discusses how semantic frames can be used for richer world modeling.

Findings

Extended AAT with new relationships for better ontology integration

Demonstrated richer modeling of technology topics

Proposed framework for semantic statements about world changes

Abstract

Faceted classifications define dimensions for the types of entities included. In effect, the facets provide an "ontological commitment". We compare a faceted thesaurus, the Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT), with ontologies derived from the Basic Formal Ontology (BFO2), which is an upper (or formal) ontology widely used to describe entities in biomedicine. We consider how the AAT and BFO2-based ontologies could be coordinated and integrated into a Human Activity and Infrastructure Foundry (HAIF). To extend the AAT to enable this coordination and integration, we describe how a wider range of relationships among its terms could be introduced. Using these extensions, we explore richer modeling of topics from AAT that deal with Technology. Finally, we consider how ontology-based frames and semantic role frames can be integrated to make rich semantic statements about changes in the world.