We have developed an environment for building/using ontologies, named Hozo, based on both of a fundamental consideration of an ontological theory and a methodology of building an ontology. Since Hozo is based on an ontological theory of a role-concept, it can distinguish concepts dependent on particular contexts from so-called basic concepts and contribute to building reusable ontologies. This ...

The paper identifies two major strands of truth theories, ontological and epistemological ones and argues that both are of equal primacy and find their home within two-dimensional semantics. Contrary to received views, it argues further that epistemological truth theories operate on Lewisian possible worlds and ontological truth theories on Wittgensteinian possible worlds and that both are medi...

This paper discusses the relevance of IS research with respect to the rhetoric associated with three IS research paradigms in use positivism, constructivism/ interpretivism and critical research. The discussion is framed in terms of the following dimensions: ontological, epistemological and methodological assumptions, relationship between theory and practice, and the role of the researcher in t...

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in approaches that employ foundational ontologies as theoretical tools for analyzing and improving conceptual modeling languages. However, some of these approaches do not always make explicit their ontological commitments. This leads to situations where criticisms resulting from the specific ontological choices made by a particular approach are...

This is a general overview document setting out the basics of ontology design for Project I1-[OntoSpace] and the SFB. First, a discussion of the major design parameters is given in order to familiarize SFB-members with the state of ontological engineering and the issues involved. We then select several key ontologies for discussion along the lines of the parameters introduced. We conclude by se...

A range of event-subcategorizing verbs can combine with entity-denoting nouns, like begin the newspaper. The interpretation of such sentences typically involves the recovery of covert events (CE) which are not realized on the surface, as in begin reading the newspaper. We report on an ongoing study that scrutinizes two assumptions made by traditional accounts: (a) that the triggering of CEs can...

In this paper we refine consideration of the topic of ‘sustainability’ through an analysis of its ontological and epistemological assumptions. The concepts of ‘Strong’ and ‘Weak’ sustainability are defined, compared and contrasted in terms of their respective emphases on Complexity and Humanism, and on Reductionism and Rationalism. A model for assessment of these emphases is presented. It is su...

Critical realism has been proposed as an alternative philosophical paradigm to positivism and interpretivism, but few papers have offered guidelines or suggestions for applying this philosophy to actual research methodologies. This article proposes a set of methodological principles for conducting and evaluating critical realism-based explanatory case study research within the information syste...

Ontological pluralism is the view that there are different ways of being. Historically, being aligned with ontological categories. This paper about to investigate why such a connection, and how it should be understood. suffers from an objection, according which collapses into monism, i.e., only one way be. Admitting categories can save this objection if ground

In response to constant criticism that methods for conceptual modeling in information systems lack theoretical foundations, several approaches have been proposed. Among these, ontological approaches have recently received considerable attention. Though MCCARTHY and HAYES already in 1969 had called for ‘‘metaphysically adequate modeling,’’ it was not before 1986 that WAND and WEBER commenced wor...