Một ontology là một specification của một sự khái niệm hóa

Khái niệm::
One popular description of an ontology in computer science is “a specification of a conceptualization” (Gruber 1993). But this requires an explanation of of what a specification is and what a conceptualization is. A conceptualization is a way to understand the structure of a particular concept by considering both its relationship to other concepts and the principles that may govern it. So a conceptualization includes a way to understand how a concept differentiates the objects falling under it (whether abstract or concrete), from other things. Historically, a way of understanding a concept would be expressible in a human language as an entry in a dictionary or encyclopedia. Concepts are often labeled using single words or phrases and since they are the meanings of those words and phrases, they are not part of the syntax. Different human languages use different symbols but can express the same concepts, although whether one can have truly exact translations is a subject of some debate (Levine & Lateef-Jan 2017). Words are one method of reference (see the entry on reference). We hope that when we use a proper noun like “Mount Kilimanjaro” that the listener will have enough common information associated with the words that the desired information is communicated. But with more abstract concepts such as “object” or “beauty” this is more problematic. Once a concept is expressed in some way for communication then we can examine what it means to be a specification. If we do not rely on human intuition about the intended meaning of a word or words, or even on the process of human clarification dialogues, then we must have some other way of recording ideas or thoughts.

Nguồn:: Ontology and Information Systems (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)