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The Ontological Character of Classes in the Dewey Decimal Classification

The Ontological Character of Classes in the Dewey Decimal Classification. Rebecca Green Michael Panzer OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Outline. Graphical representations of classes DDC classes as neighborhoods Representation of neighborhoods.

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The Ontological Character of Classes in the Dewey Decimal Classification

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  1. The Ontological Character of Classes in the Dewey Decimal Classification • Rebecca Green • Michael Panzer • OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.

  2. Outline • Graphical representations of classes • DDC classes as neighborhoods • Representation of neighborhoods

  3. Graphical representations of classes (1) • Directed graph • Classes as nodes/points • Relationships as arcs/edges 782.29 Liturgical forms 782.292 Chant 782.294 Psalms 782.297 Tropes

  4. Liturgical forms (Comprehensive works) 782 .294-.298 Specific texts Liturgical drama Psalms 782 .292 782 .294 782 .295 782 .296 782 .297 782 .298 Chant Biblical texts Non-biblical texts Tropes (Parts of the mass) 782 .322 782 .323 Services of specific denominations Mass (Communion text) Notational hierarchy See reference Class elsewhere Relationship Key: 782 .3222 782 .3223 Gregorian chant Anglican chant Graphical representations of classes (2) 782 .29

  5. Graphical representations of classes (3) • Classes have internal structure: • Set of (focal) topics • Neighborhoods develop around focal topics

  6. DDC classes as neighborhoods (1) • 780 Music • 782 Vocal music • 782.2 Nondramatic vocal forms • 782.23-.29 Specific sacred vocal forms • 782.29 Liturgical forms • 782.292 *Chant • *Add as instructed under 782.1-782.4 Including responses, e.g., litanies, suffrages Class here plainsong Class Gregorian chant in 782.3222; class Anglican chant in 782.3223

  7. DDC classes as neighborhoods (2) • Associating (focal) topics with classes—primary additive features • 782.292 *Chant Including responses, e.g., litanies, suffrages Class here plainsong Class Gregorian chant in 782.3222; class Anglican chant in 782.3223

  8. DDC classes as neighborhoods (3) • Associating (focal) topics with classes—primary subtractive features • 782.292 *Chant • 782.295 Biblical texts • . . . • For psalms, see 782.294 Including responses, e.g., litanies, suffrages Class here plainsong Class Gregorian chant in 782.3222; class Anglican chant in 782.3223

  9. DDC classes as neighborhoods (4) • Neighborhood development—subsumption • Specialization • 782.292 Chant subsumes all types of chant, e.g., plainsong • Instantiation • 782.292 Chant subsumes all instances of chant, e.g., Salve Regina

  10. DDC classes as neighborhoods (5) • Neighborhood development—hierarchical force 782 Vocal music > 782.1-782.4 Vocal forms 782.2 Nondramatic vocal forms 782.29 Liturgical forms Class here treatises about and recordings of vocal forms for specific voices and ensembles

  11. DDC classes as neighborhoods (6) • Neighborhood development—standing room topics • Responses (litanies, suffrages) in standing room • Notation of litanies 782.292 • Performance of responses 782.292 • Harmonization of responses 782.292 • In contrast, plainsong approximates the whole • Notation of plainsong 782.2920148 • Performance of plainsong 782.292078 • Harmonization of plainsong 782.2921434

  12. DDC classes as neighborhoods (7) • Neighborhood development—index terms • Relative Index terms • 782.295 Biblical texts • Lord’s Prayer—music • Mapped headings • 783.3222 Gregorian chant • Ambrosian chants • Prosulas

  13. DDC classes as neighborhoods (8) • Neighborhood development—diachronic development of classification • Full Edition 14: 782.2 [Grand opera] Epic Wagnerian • Full Editions 15–19: 782.2 and subdivisions not used • Full Edition 20: Completely revised music schedule (chant previously in 783.5)

  14. DDC classes as neighborhoods (9) • Neighborhood development—full vs. abridged editions • Abridged Edition 14 • 782.2  Nondramatic vocal music • Full Edition 22 • 782.292 *Chant Including chants, plainsong, sacred vocal music; comprehensive works on cantatas Including responses, e.g., litanies, suffrages Class here plainsong Class Gregorian chant in 782.3222; class Anglican chant in 782.3223

  15. DDC classes as neighborhoods (10) • Neighborhood development—rules for use • Principles of classification in DDC • Rule of application, e.g., use of chant in music therapy 615.85154 • First-of-two rule, e.g., chant and tropes 782.292 • Rule of three, e.g., chant, psalms, and tropes 782.29

  16. DDC classes as neighborhoods (11) • Neighborhood development—classification of bibliographic resources • Plainsong in the age of polyphony (Kelly 1992) • Accompaniments to plainsong for schools (Allen 1930)

  17. Negated topic Internal topic Focal topic Subsumption Instantiation Synthesis Class Key: External topic Relationship Key: General principles Musical forms [Printed music] Treatises about Sound recordings of Responses [Chant specific to Liturgy of a Christian Denomination] Chant Litanies Suffrages Plainsong Anglican chant Gregorian chant e.g., Salve Regina DDC classes as neighborhoods (12)

  18. Representation of neighborhoods (1) • Basic distinction of classes and topics difficult with representational models like SKOS • Dewey classes as instances of skos:Concept become individuals (“primitives”) of the domain • Some power of the formalization is lost rdf:type 782.292 782.292 owl:Class rdf:type skos:Concept

  19. Representation of neighborhoods (2) • Only interclass relationships can be asserted at this level • Without subclasses (no isA relationship), inference ability is severly limited skos:closeMatch skos:related 782.3222 782.292 782.292 782.29 ddc:indexTerm skos:broader

  20. Representation of neighborhoods (3) • Conceptualizing Dewey classes as ontological classes (instances of owl:Class) allows for more expressivity rdfs:subclassOf 782.292 owl:Class rdf:type DeweyClass

  21. DeweyClass 782.29 DeweyTopic owl:Class 782.292 rdf:type Representation of neighborhoods (4) • Class descriptions constrain class extension with class axioms • Class axioms describe conjunctively the topical extent of a Dewey class • Properties can be combined with other entities as specific types of description to build relationships owl:disjointWith

  22. Representation of neighborhoods (5) • Disjoint classes in domain: DeweyClasses, DeweyTopics • Interclass relationships expressed with subsumption relations • OWL 2 provides property chain inclusion for complex situations • Class–topic relationships expressed as OWL class axioms with domain of DeweyClass and range of DeweyTopic • Subtractive features construed as inclusion of negation of topic • Open world assumption: exclusions have to be made explicit • Limited inference of topics in class neighborhood possible

  23. Representation of neighborhoods (6) • But KOS are not formal KR languages • Class descriptions are seldom necessary and sufficient (≡) • Dealing with incomplete information diminishes entailment and inference possibilities • Complex interplay of classes and topics unlikely to be reflected completely • Multilevel approach is necessary • Formalizing coarse relationships while avoiding production of inconsistencies with the underlying structure • Emphasis on knowledge reuse

  24. Summary • Graphical representations of classes • Classes not just topic points in graph, but set of focal topics + neighborhoods • DDC classes as neighborhoods • Neighborhoods developed through caption, notes; subsumption; hierarchical force; standing room topics; index/RI terms; diachronic development of DDC; full vs. abridged editions; rules for choice of number; classification of bibliographic resources

  25. Summary—cont. Representation of neighborhoods Model of classes as focal topics + neighborhoods in alignment with paradigms of formal ontology languages Certain means of developing neighborhoods can be translated into ontological class axioms Certain types of interclass relationships (e.g., subsumption) have different semantic implications in DDC vs. ontology languages like OWL

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