Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: This paper looks at the epistemological foundations of knowledge representations embodied in retrieval languages. It considers questions such as the validity of knowledge representations and their effectiveness for the purposes of retrieval and automation. The knowledge representations it considers are derived from three theories of meaning that have dominated twentieth-century philosophy. The discipline of philosophy impacts other knowledge disciplines, particularly in the theoretical constructs they employ. The purpose of this paper is to explore how epistemology, that branch of philosophy concerned with how and what we know, has contributed to the design of knowledge representations embodied in retrieval languages designed for organizing information. Different retrieval languages make different presuppositions about what is meant by knowledge. These differences give rise to questions such as • How valid are the knowledge representations embodied in different retrieval languages, i.e., how well do they do what they purport to do, i.e., to represent knowledge? • How effective are they in facilitating the achievement of the objectives of a retrieval language: collocation, discrimination, and navigation? • How amenable are they to automation and semantic interoperability? In the course of the twentieth century, the problem of what and how we know has been dealt with through language analysis and theories of meaning. Three theories of meaning are especially relevant to the discussion of
Author: Elaine Svenonius
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1561529023