Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem

In this paper, we challenge the vision of creating a giant knowledge graph of reusable research data from multiple projects and platforms, based on Semantic Web technologies and a shared conceptualisation in the form of a commonly used ontology ecosystem, promoted by the Semantic Data for Humanities...

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Main Author: Francesco Beretta
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Université de Lille 2024-11-01
Series:Methodos
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Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/methodos/11110
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author Francesco Beretta
author_facet Francesco Beretta
author_sort Francesco Beretta
collection DOAJ
description In this paper, we challenge the vision of creating a giant knowledge graph of reusable research data from multiple projects and platforms, based on Semantic Web technologies and a shared conceptualisation in the form of a commonly used ontology ecosystem, promoted by the Semantic Data for Humanities and Social Sciences project (SDHSS). Three main issues are raised: the difficulty of proposing a cross-disciplinary ontology for humanities and social sciences given the different research agendas and constructivist approaches; the difficulty of interlinking the objects present in the different information systems, due to different notions of identity; the challenge of dealing with uncertainty, inconsistencies and contradictions in information sources, when the aim is to produce ‘factual’ information. First, I propose an epistemological analysis of information, as distinct from data and knowledge, then I develop a conceptualisation of information in humanities and social sciences, based on the OntoClean methodology, and the foundational ontologies DOLCE and Descriptions and Situations, and show how it can ground a cross-disciplinary ontology ecosystem based on the CIDOC CRM and its SDHSS integration. Finally, I apply these principles to a detailed analysis of the information production process and show how the proposed conceptualisation provides possible solutions to the three challenges raised.
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spelling doaj-art-7d86f7b0f6be49a0a7cff848282183a02025-01-30T14:11:12ZfraUniversité de LilleMethodos1769-73792024-11-012410.4000/12xqnConceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology EcosystemFrancesco BerettaIn this paper, we challenge the vision of creating a giant knowledge graph of reusable research data from multiple projects and platforms, based on Semantic Web technologies and a shared conceptualisation in the form of a commonly used ontology ecosystem, promoted by the Semantic Data for Humanities and Social Sciences project (SDHSS). Three main issues are raised: the difficulty of proposing a cross-disciplinary ontology for humanities and social sciences given the different research agendas and constructivist approaches; the difficulty of interlinking the objects present in the different information systems, due to different notions of identity; the challenge of dealing with uncertainty, inconsistencies and contradictions in information sources, when the aim is to produce ‘factual’ information. First, I propose an epistemological analysis of information, as distinct from data and knowledge, then I develop a conceptualisation of information in humanities and social sciences, based on the OntoClean methodology, and the foundational ontologies DOLCE and Descriptions and Situations, and show how it can ground a cross-disciplinary ontology ecosystem based on the CIDOC CRM and its SDHSS integration. Finally, I apply these principles to a detailed analysis of the information production process and show how the proposed conceptualisation provides possible solutions to the three challenges raised.https://journals.openedition.org/methodos/11110cross-disciplinary ontologyepistemology of information production in the humanities and social sciencesOntoCleanDOLCE and Descriptions and SituationsCIDOC CRMSDHS
spellingShingle Francesco Beretta
Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem
Methodos
cross-disciplinary ontology
epistemology of information production in the humanities and social sciences
OntoClean
DOLCE and Descriptions and Situations
CIDOC CRM
SDHS
title Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem
title_full Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem
title_fullStr Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem
title_full_unstemmed Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem
title_short Conceptualising Information Production in the Context of the SDHSS Ontology Ecosystem
title_sort conceptualising information production in the context of the sdhss ontology ecosystem
topic cross-disciplinary ontology
epistemology of information production in the humanities and social sciences
OntoClean
DOLCE and Descriptions and Situations
CIDOC CRM
SDHS
url https://journals.openedition.org/methodos/11110
work_keys_str_mv AT francescoberetta conceptualisinginformationproductioninthecontextofthesdhssontologyecosystem