sorts if they are properly to be categorized as instantiating the different universals or types (we use these terms interchangeably in what follows) recognized by BFO. To specify these conditions we will utilize a semi-formalized English that has approximately the expressivity of first-order logic (FOL) with identity. We use to refer to those universals at the most general and domain-neutral level. BFO treats ‘category’ only of categories in this sense. A is a formal (= domain-neutral) universal, as contrasted with category the material (domain-specific) universals represented in one or other domain ontology. BFO:fiat object is a category in this sense; not however or or Spatial, temporal part organism weapon, mortgage contract. and spatiotemporal region terms are counted as representing formal universals in this sense, since they apply in all domains. In the formulations trial, we will use: etc., for instances (spatio-temporal particulars); ‘b’, ‘c’, ‘d’, etc., for temporal regions (instants or intervals) ‘t,’ ‘t’, etc., for spatial and spatiotemporal regions, ‘r,’ ‘r’, ‘s,’ ‘s’, We use etc. for universals. Note that etc. are common (names for ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘P’, ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘P’, universals), rather than predicates. We use and similar bold-face ‘instance_of’, ‘has_participant’ expressions to express relations involving instances, and and similar expressions to italicized ‘part_of’ express relations exclusively involving universals. We also use to mark out BFO terms. italics Figure 1: The BFO 2.0 Hierarchy is_a How to read this document Use of boldface indicates a label for an instance-level relation. Use of indicates a BFO term (or a italics term from a BFO-conformant ontology). All such terms are singular common nouns or noun phrases. All BFO terms represent some formal (= domain-neutral) universal. This document is intended both as a specification and a user’s guide to BFO 2.0. Those parts of the document which belong to the specification are indicated by the special formatting, as follows:
sorts if they are properly to be categorized as instantiating the different universals or types (we use these terms interchangeably in what follows) recognized by BFO. To specify these conditions we will utilize a semi-formalized English that has approximately the expressivity of first-order logic (FOL) with identity. We use ‘category’ to refer to those universals at the most general and domain-neutral level. BFO treats only of categories in this sense. A category is a formal (= domain-neutral) universal, as contrasted with the material (domain-specific) universals represented in one or other domain ontology. BFO:fiat object part is a category in this sense; not however organism or weapon, or mortgage contract. Spatial, temporal and spatiotemporal region terms are counted as representing formal universals in this sense, since they apply in all domains. In the formulations we will use: ‘b’, ‘c’, ‘d’, etc., for instances (spatio-temporal particulars); ‘t,’ ‘t’, etc., for temporal regions (instants or intervals) ‘r,’ ‘r’, ‘s,’ ‘s’, etc., for spatial and spatiotemporal regions, We use ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘P’, etc. for universals. Note that ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘P’, etc. are common (names for universals), rather than predicates. We use ‘instance_of’, ‘has_participant’ and similar bold-face expressions to express relations involving instances, and ‘part_of’ and similar italicized expressions to express relations exclusively involving universals. We also use italics to mark out BFO terms. Figure 1: The BFO 2.0 is_a Hierarchy How to read this document Use of boldface indicates a label for an instance-level relation. Use of italics indicates a BFO term (or a term from a BFO-conformant ontology). All such terms are singular common nouns or noun phrases. All BFO terms represent some formal (= domain-neutral) universal. This document is intended both as a specification and a user’s guide to BFO 2.0. Those parts of the document which belong to the specification are indicated by the special formatting, as follows: trial,
BFO2-Reference.docx