K−ShaRe: an architecture for sharing heterogeneous conceptualisations

We propose an architecture for the development of an intelligent knowledge management environment based on description logics. This environment addresses the problem of heterogeneous reasoning underpinning knowledge analysis, sharing, and reuse. We explicitly focus on selectively variable expressive power, hybrid reasoning about expressive knowledge, and heuristic lexical reasoning, with major emphasis on reasoning at the conceptual level. We outline the usage of emulators in semantic analysis, describing how conceptual reasoning jointly extends and constrains how the description logic is used for the purpose of semantic reasoning. Most critical portions of the K−ShaRe architecture have been either implemented as part of our CONCEPTOOL support system or as standalone functionalities.