Conceptual
Works
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Last
Update: 3/30/02
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#$InformationBearingThing ibt
A collection of temporal objects, including actions
and events as well as physical objects. Each instance of #$InformationBearingThing
is an item that contains information, for an agent who
understands how to interpret it. Examples: a copy of the
novel `Moby Dick'; a signal buoy; a photograph; a flag; an
elevator sign in Braille; a map; a US dollar bill; a resume;
an account ledger; a word in ASL; a musical score; the #$Cyc
program itself. Note: `an IBT' abbreviates `an information
bearing thing'. See also #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType.
For representation of the propositional content of
information bearing things, see #$PropositionalInformationThing;
but note that not all IBTs have a propositional content (cf.
#$ArtObject).
Also note that events in which information is transferred
(cf. #$InformationTransferEvent)
are not considered instances of #$InformationBearingThing.
Rather, such transfer events have, as one of their actors,
some instance of #$InformationBearingThing
which is the token considered to be transfered in the #$InformationTransferEvent.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$InformationStore #$SpatialThing-Localized
direct generalization of:
#$InformationBearingWavePropagation
#$InformationBearingObject
#$HumanAccessibleIBT #$Signal #$VisualInformationSource
#$Inform-CommunicationAct
#$TextualMaterial
#$NLWord-IBT
#$InformationBearingObject ibo (ibt)
A specialization of both #$InformationBearingThing
and #$CompositeTangibleAndIntangibleObject.
Each instance of #$InformationBearingObject
is an object that can be interpreted, by an interpreter
understanding its conventions, to yield a chunk or chunks of
information. #$InformationBearingObject
includes all of the following: (1) artifacts made solely for
the purpose of conveying information (e.g., a newspaper, or
a children's science video); (2) artifacts that convey
information in addition to their intended function (e.g.,
Neolithic pottery); and (3) non-artifacts, such as a
person's fingerprints, gestures, and utterances, which may
be interpreted to yield information. Note: `an IBO'
abbreviates `an information bearing object'. Cf. #$InformationBearingWavePropagation.
See also #$containsInformation.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$CompositeTangibleAndIntangibleObject #$InformationBearingThing
direct generalization of: #$HumanAccessibleIBO #$OfficialDocument
#$InformationBearingWavePropagation information
bearing wave propagation
A specialization of both #$InformationBearingThing
and #$WavePropagation.
Each instance of #$InformationBearingWavePropagation
is a wave propagation event that carries information for
interpreters who understand its conventions. Notable
specializations of #$InformationBearingWavePropagation
include #$Music, #$VisualImage, and
#$Utterance.
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direct instance of:
#$WavePropagationType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationBearingThing #$WavePropagation
direct generalization of:
#$SoundInformationBearingThing
#$VisualImage #$AnimalSound
#$PropositionalInformationThing pit (context)
A specialization of both #$InformationStore and #$Microtheory.
Each instance of #$PropositionalInformationThing
is a chunk of abstract propositional information (`a PIT'
abbreviates `a propositional information thing'), where such
a chunk consists of one or more propositions. The
propositional content of a PIT is not intrinsically encoded
in any particular language, and it may be representable in
many languages. PITs are used to represent the meaningful
contents of information bearing things. Physical
things--objects or events--which are instances of #$InformationBearingThing
are linked to the abstract PIT contents they embody by using
the predicate #$containsInformation
(q.v.). An instance of #$PropositionalInformationThing
may be something as simple as the information content of a
command to stop one's vehicle, expressed verbally or
symbolically in a road sign or in a traffic officer's
gesture, or a PIT may be something as complex as the entire
contemporary knowledge of #$Mathematics (q.v.), which is
embodied in many and various sources.
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direct instance of:
#$ObjectType #$MicrotheoryType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationStore #$Microtheory
direct generalization of: #$NonfictionalContext #$VisualRepresentationMicrotheory
#$TextMicrotheory
#$Proposal
#$MentalInformation
#$Agreement
#$Specification #$Credential
#$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType specified
information bearing thing types
A collection of collections which is being phased
out. In most cases, instances of #$ConceptualWork should be
used instead. Each instance of #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType
is a subcollection of #$InformationBearingThing,
all of whose instances are instantiations of the same
#$ConceptualWork and share a primary media form. Instances
of #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType
can be created to refer to any instance of #$ConceptualWork.
For example, the collection of all instances of #$BookCopy
which are instantiations of #$WarAndPeace-TheNovel would be
an instance of #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType,
as would the collection of all instance of #$MovieShowing
which are instantiations of #$Jaws-TheMovie (even though
both the novel `War and Peace' and #$Jaws-TheMovie were
issued in slightly different variants). Heterogeneous
collections, however, such as those defined by `copies of
books written by Mark Twain', or by `physical instantiations
of the Jaws story in all its forms', are NOT subcollections
of #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType,
although they are subcollections of #$InformationBearingThing.
Example of #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType: #$DimeCoin-US.
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direct instance of:
#$SiblingDisjointCollection
#$SecondOrderCollection
direct specialization of:
#$ObjectType #$IBTContentType
#$developerOfIBTType developer
of i b t type
The predicate #$developerOfIBTType
relates a specific work to its creator(s). (#$developerOfIBTType
IBTTYPE AGENT) means that AGENT is one of the people,
corporations, publishers, etc., responsible for the
invention or bringing into being of the #$SpecifiedInformationBearingThingType
IBTTYPE, which may be a book, television show, computer
program, musical score, etc. For example, #$OrsonWelles is a
#$developerOfIBTType
for #$CitizenKane-TheMovie.
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direct instance of: #$BinaryPredicate #$IntangibleObjectPredicate
#$StructuredInformationSource structured
information sources
A specialization of both #$InformationStore and
#$PartiallyIntangibleIndividual. Each instance of #$StructuredInformationSource
is an #$InformationStore in which bits of information are
represented as related in a systematic way that is easily
characterized by some type of formal structure, including
spatial or architectural terms (used metaphorically).
Examples include: a database organized in fields and values;
a spreadsheet organized in rows and columns with entries; an
organizational tree diagram with nodes and branches; a
topographical map; a document written in HTML (hyper-text
markup language). Negative examples include computer
programs, poems, and novels.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of: #$InformationStore
direct generalization of:
#$IndexedInfoSource
#$Spreadsheet #$Database-Physical
#$OrganizationalChart
#$Form-StandardizedIBO
#$Spreadsheet spreadsheets
A specialization of both #$InformationBearingThing
and #$StructuredInformationSource.
Each instance of #$Spreadsheet is an
information-bearing thing that presents (usually numeric)
data in a two-dimensional matrix of cells that are organized
into rows and columns. A spreadsheet may be produced by hand
with pencil and paper or generated by a computer
#$SpreadsheetProgram (q.v.) such as #$Lotus123. Associated
with every spreadsheet are mathematical definitions of some
of its cells as a function of other cells in that spreadsheet.
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direct instance of: #$IBTContentType #$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$StructuredInformationSource #$HumanAccessibleIBT
#$Map maps (AIT)
A specialization of #$ConceptualWork. Each instance
of #$Map is a conceptual
work that models a region of physical space by using
graphical symbols (or possibly another code), often in
conjunction with a natural language, to represent features
such as the following: geographical areas (#$GeographicalRegion),
topographical features (#$TopographicalFeature),
political regions (#$GeopoliticalEntity),
climate zones (#$ClimateCycleType), human artifacts (#$ConstructionArtifact),
population densities (#$populationDensity). Maps are
generally intended to help an agent to orient itself in
space or to understand some aspect(s) of a large spatial
area. Instances of #$Map
are physically instantiated in map copies (see the
collection #$MapCopy), which may be on paper, in
computerized geographical information systems, or in other forms.
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direct instance of: #$IBTContentType #$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$VisualArtifact-CW
#$OrganizationalChart organizational charts
A collection of #$InformationStores and a
subcollection of #$StructuredInformationSource.
Each instance of #$OrganizationalChart
graphically or in outline fashion depicts information about
the control structure or resource use structure of an
organization. E.g., a diagram of Exxon Corporation's top
managers showing their reporting structure.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IndexedInfoSource
#$Database-AbstractContent abstract databases
The collection of all databases, as abstract
repositories of information rather than as physical storage
devices. A database generally has some means of accessing
the data from structured records, frames or relational
structures, using some query language. A particular #$Database-AbstractContent
may exist in multiple copies, and may be distributed over
several different physical data storage sites: see also #$Database-Physical.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IndexedInfoSource
direct generalization of:
#$KnowledgeBase
#$Database-Physical databases
(structured information sources)
A specialization of both #$HumanAccessibleIBO and
#$StructuredInformationSource.
Each instance of #$Database-Physical
is an information-bearing object (IBO) that stores many
pieces of information, organized for easy scanning and
access. Typically, a data base involves one or more
formatted data record schemes, together with some device for
searching and retrieving data. Note that, as an IBO, an
instance of #$Database-Physical
is some particular, tangible copy of a database. To refer to
the abstract 'content' of a database, use #$Database-AbstractContent.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$HumanAccessibleIBO #$StructuredInformationSource
#$Form-StandardizedIBO legal
forms (structured information sources)
A specialization of both #$InformationBearingObject
and #$StructuredInformationSource.
Each instance of #$Form-StandardizedIBO
is an information-bearing object having some standard set of
labelled fields; these fields are left blank for the user to
fill in with certain items of information (often information
pertaining to the user). Instances of #$Form-StandardizedIBO
often accompany some sort of bureaucratic procedure, which
they may be used to initiate or to certify. Specializations
include the collections #$LeaseDocument, #$DepositSlip,
#$InsuranceClaimForm, and #$Check-TenderObject.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Artifact #$StructuredInformationSource #$HumanAccessibleIBO #$TextualMaterial
direct generalization of:
#$Check-TenderObject
#$SoundInformationBearingThing sound
information bearing things
A specialization of both #$AudibleSound and
#$InformationBearingWavePropagation.
Each instance of #$SoundInformationBearingThing
is an audible sound that contains information.
Specializations of #$SoundInformationBearingThing
include #$Music and #$Utterance.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$AudibleSound #$InformationBearingWavePropagation
direct generalization of:
#$Music #$Utterance
#$AnimalSound animal sounds
A specialization of #$InformationBearingWavePropagation.
Each instance of #$AnimalSound is a
sound of a type which originally was, and typically is, made
by an animal using just its body parts (though such a sound
may subsequently have been reproduced by imitation or
recording). For example, instances of #$Birdsong,
#$NeighingSound, #$PurringSound, #$BarkingSound, and
#$BrayingSound. Note that the restriction to sounds produced
by body parts alone excludes noises produced by moving
external objects; i.e., #$AnimalSound does
_not_ include rustling the leaves underfoot, splashing
water, or playing a musical instrument.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationBearingWavePropagation #$AudibleSound
direct generalization of:
#$Utterance
#$Utterance utterances
A specialization of #$AnimalSound. Each
instance of #$Utterance is a
sound which was initially generated by someone speaking or
making some sound with his/her mouth. If such a sound is
recorded and played back, the sound generated is still
considered an instance of #$Utterance.
Examples: one's spouse saying `Good morning' today; Ed
McMahon saying `Here's Johnny' (on almost innumerable
occasions); a child screaming at a playmate; Humphrey Bogart
saying `Here's looking at you' on the set of `Casablanca'.
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direct instance of:
#$ObjectType #$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$AnimalSound #$SoundInformationBearingThing
#$Music music (sound)
A specialization of both #$SoundInformationBearingThing
and #$Artifact-Intangible. Each instance of #$Music is a sound
produced by actions such as singing, whistling, playing an
instrument, playing recorded music, and so on. Music has
certain features that distinguish it from random noise
(though recognizing them may depend upon a specific cultural
background); such features usually include variations of
pitch over time (i.e., melody), multiple (somehow) related
pitches sounding at one time (i.e., some kind of harmony),
and/or some regular temporal pattern to the component sounds
(i.e., rhythm). Instances of #$Music include the debut
performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Leonard
Bernstein's rendition of the Ninth Symphony with the BPO in
Berlin in 1989, a particular playing of a particular CD of
Bernstein's 1989 Ninth in Berlin, and the Messiah sing-in in
Austin, TX, in 1995.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Artifact-Intangible #$SoundInformationBearingThing #$Artifact-NonAgentive
#$ComputerProgram-CW programz (AIT)
A specialization of #$PropositionalConceptualWork.
Each instance of #$ComputerProgram-CW
is an intangible object which contains intangible conceptual
information. This information can be partially expressed as
#$ComputerCode, but the code isn't a #$ComputerProgram-CW,
it's an #$AbstractInformationStructure. The predicate
#$programCode relates a #$ComputerProgram-CW
to its code. A program that is being executed is a
#$ComputerProcessRunning, related to its #$ComputerProgram-CW
by the predicate #$programOfProcess. A physical
instantiation of a #$ComputerProgram-CW
is a #$ComputerProgramCopy which is an #$InformationBearingThing,
related to its #$ComputerProgram-CW
by the predicate #$programCopies. #$programCopies of a #$ComputerProgram-CW
share certain properties, but this is an intentionally vague
notion. They might not share the same source code or
executable (object) code. For example, if
(#$SoftwareVersionFn #$Emacs-TheProgram 20.4 ) were written
in C, and I compiled a copy of it on a Solaris machine and
another on an HP-UX machine, the compiled versions would be
different, but they would still be #$programCopies of the
same #$ComputerProgram-CW,
(#$SoftwareVersionFn #$Emacs-TheProgram 20.4 ), and also
#$programCopies of #$Emacs-TheProgram.
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direct instance of: #$ProductType #$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$PropositionalConceptualWork
#$ArtObject works of art
A specialization of both #$HumanAccessibleIBO and
#$Artifact.
Each instance of #$ArtObject is a
tangible object that is a work, or a reproduction of a work,
in one of the representational or plastic arts, such as a
painting, sculpture, ceramic piece, quilt, or stained glass
composition. #$ArtObject does
_not_ include as instances plays, movies, music, performance
art, or other activities. #$ArtObject is a
specialization of #$InformationBearingObject,
but its instances need not have any propositional content.
Examples of #$ArtObject: the
#$StatueOfLiberty, the Mona Lisa, a poster reproduction of
Van Gogh's `Starry Night', Rodin's `Burghers of Calais', a
piece of Ju ware from the Sung Dynasty, the windows of
Chartres Cathedral, a series of prints by Picasso.
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direct instance of: #$ProductByGenericType #$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$HumanAccessibleIBO #$TopAndBottomSidedObject #$VisualInformationSource #$PartiallyTangibleProduct #$Artifact
direct generalization of:
#$Sculpture
#$VisualInformationSource visual
information sources
A specialization of both #$Artifact-Generic and #$InformationBearingThing.
Each instance of #$VisualInformationSource
is an artifact from which information is extracted by
viewing it (note that a viewer may need to be familiar with
an appropriate set of interpretive conventions in order to
extract information from some instances of #$VisualInformationSource).
Examples of #$VisualInformationSource
include handwritten letters, newspapers and other print
media objects, paintings, sculpture, and other visual art
objects, projected images, and neon signs. The information
content of instances of #$VisualInformationSource
may or may not be propositional in nature. In the proper
conditions, instances of #$VisualInformationSource
produce instances of #$VisualImage
(q.v.). For example, if one shines light on a photograph, a
characteristic #$VisualImage is
produced. Likewise, if one electrifies a neon sign, a #$VisualImage is produced.
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direct instance of:
#$ObjectType #$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Artifact-Generic #$InformationBearingThing
direct generalization of:
#$SignTheDisplay
#$VisualMark
#$Gesture #$ArtObject
#$SignTheDisplay signs
(visual information sources)
A collection of #$InformationBearingObjects
(IBOs), a subcollection of #$VisualInformationSource.
Each instance of #$SignTheDisplay
is an object typically posted where people can see it so
that they can obtain information from it. Uses of signs
include identification of objects (e.g., street signs, name
tags, species labels at zoos), advertising (e.g.,
billboards, neon signs, posters for garage sales,
#$WorldWideWeb-Concrete page banners), and warnings (e.g.,
signs for road hazards or road construction, `No
Trespassing'postings, printed tape marking off a police line).
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualInformationSource
#$VisualImage images
A specialization of #$InformationBearingWavePropagation.
Each instance of #$VisualImage is an
event in which visible light is generated in a particular
pattern. The generated pattern of light contains information
for an observer familiar with the appropriate interpretive
conventions. Visual images may be produced by illuminating
some instance of #$VisualInformationSource,
which is a tangible object (e.g., a photograph, movie film,
or page of print), or by direct manipulation of light(s) to
produce a pattern (e.g., nautical code lights). Visual
images may be instantaneous or extended in time. Visual
images may be classified (among other ways) by features of
their appearance (e.g., #$ColorImage,
#$BlackAndWhiteImage), by their origin (e.g., #$XRayImage,
#$PenOrPencilDrawing, #$SatelliteImage), or by their content
(e.g., #$LandscapeImage).
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationBearingWavePropagation #$VisibleLight
#$ColorImage color images
A collection of visual images. Each element of #$ColorImage is an
image 'in color', i.e., it is not monochromatic but is
composed of several colors. Any 'in colour' movie being
shown on a 'color television' is a #$ColorImage.
Presumably, a nighttime sequence viewed on such a television
would still be an element of #$ColorImage since
the context was 'in color' and subtle blues as well as greys
would be depicted. An image consisting solely of varying
shades of green, such as that seen on many monochromatic
oscilloscopes, would be an element of #$MonochromeImage
not #$ColorImage
nor #$BlackAndWhiteImage.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualImage
#$MonochromeImage monochrome images
A collection of visual images. Each element of #$MonochromeImage
is an all grey-scale or otherwise monochrome visual image.
#$BlackAndWhiteImage is a subset of #$MonochromeImage.
Some images, e.g. some infrared images, are in varying
shades of red. These would be elements of #$MonochromeImage
but not #$BlackAndWhiteImage.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualImage
#$StillImage still images
A collection of visual images. Each element of #$StillImage is a
static visual image. Such images are typically images
reflected from, or generated by, objects that don't change
in time, e.g. an illuminated photograph. Other examples:
images from maps, x-rays, drawings, labels, or any constant
projection of light.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualInformationSource
#$MovingImage moving image
A collection of visual images. Each element of #$MovingImage is a
visual image which persists while changing over time.
Examples of #$MovingImage
include shadows of trees swaying in the wind, meteors, film
and video images; images produced by light reflected from
moving physical objects; images produced directly by a
changing pattern of lights (e.g., nautical beacons).
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualImage
#$Reflection-Visual reflections
A collection of visual images. Each element of #$Reflection-Visual
is a visual image produced by the reflection of light from a surface.
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direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualImage
#$VisualMark markings
A specialization of #$VisualInformationSource.
Each instance of #$VisualMark is a
visible marking on some object. Visual markings may be
applied to an object using ink, paint, or pencil; they may
be engraved into or molded out of the object's material;
they may be made of other objects affixed to or resting on
the object (e.g., a plaque bearing a house number); or they
may consist of contrasting areas of color or light level
(e.g., markings on a computer screen).
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualInformationSource #$PartiallyTangible
#$MarkingOnASurface marking (handling)
A specialization of both #$MaterialHandling and #$IBOCreation. Each
instance of #$MarkingOnASurface
is an event in which visible markings are placed on a
surface by an agent (see the collection #$Agent). The marking
may be done by adding material to a surface (as in instances
of #$Painting-Activity) or removing material from a surface
(as in instances of #$EngravingEvent).
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direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$IBOCreation #$MaterialHandling
direct generalization of:
#$WritingByHand
#$TextMarking text markings
A collection of visual marks. Each element of #$TextMarking is a
visual artifact, a mark or configuration of marks
recognizable as text in some writing system. Examples of #$TextMarking
include written words, written numbers, sentences,
individual letters and numerals, all the text on a piece of
paper or in a book, auxiliary marks like punctuation, etc.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualMark
#$Line-Marking line marking
A collection of visual marks. Each element of #$Line-Marking is
a visual mark which is relatively long and thin.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualMark
#$Tattoo tattoos
(visual information sources)
A collection of visual marks. Each element of #$Tattoo is a mark made
on the skin of a person or other animal, having a pattern
formed by scar tissue or by pigment applied in or under the
skin. In medical terms, `tattoo' includes marks resulting
from accidental tattooing. But typically tattoos are
deliberately applied for purposes of identification or decoration.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualMark
#$Footprint footprints
A collection of visual marks. Each element of #$Footprint is an
impression made by a foot of an animal. Footprints may be
made in soft earth, clay, concrete, or on paper with paint
or ink. Footprints may be made accidentally or on purpose.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualInformationSource
#$Fingerprint fingerprints
A collection of visual marks. Each element of #$Fingerprint is a
mark made when pressure from a manual digit leaves traces of
body oils (or ink) on a surface, showing the patterns on the
skin of the finger(s) that made them.
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direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualMark
#$Gesture gestures
(visual information sources)
A subcollection of #$VisualInformationSource.
Each instance of #$Gesture is a
configuration of animal body parts that has some meaning to
an observer with an understanding of the interpretive
convention. A gesture may include some tool or prop. #$Gestures may be
fleeting (e.g., a hello wave) or may last a long time (e.g.,
the gesture embodied in the #$StatueOfLiberty ). Note that,
as defined in Cyc, a gesture is a meaningful configuration
of body parts, NOT the actions producing the arrangement;
for representation of the actions, see #$MakingAGesture.
guid: bd590c05-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualInformationSource #$Situation-Temporal #$Signal
#$Sculpture sculptures
A collection of art objects. Each instance of #$Sculpture is a
tangible three-dimensional work of art; buildings are NOT
included, even though sculptural features of buildings (such
as friezes) are. Types of #$Sculpture include
stone statues, friezes, wood carvings, pipes welded into
abstract art sculptures, etc. Example instances: the
#$StatueOfLiberty, the #$MountRushmoreMonument,
Michelangelo's David, the friezes on the #$Parthenon, the
Buddhas at Longan.
guid: bd58acda-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$ArtObject
#$Model-Artifact models
(visual information sources)
A collection of artifacts; a subset of #$VisualInformationSource.
Each element of #$Model-Artifact
is a tangible object designed to resemble and/or represent
some other object, which may or may not exist tangibly. For
example, an architectural model for a proposed public
building; a souvenir model of #$TheWhiteHouse; a scale model
of a dinosaur skeleton; a miniature room and furnishings
copying a real house. The funnction, #$ModelFn, is used to
designate the collection of models of a collection of objects.
guid: be010ef1-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$SolidTangibleProduct #$HumanAccessibleIBO #$Artifact #$VisualInformationSource
#$ModelFn model fn
The Cyc function #$ModelFn is a #$CollectionDenotingFunction
which is used to represent models of a certain type of
thing. (#$ModelFn
OBJ-TYPE) denotes the collection of all models of objects
that belong to the type OBJ-TYPE. For example, all
sculptures of horses are elements of the collection (#$ModelFn #$Horse-Domesticated).
guid: be010f3a-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$UnaryFunction #$CollectionDenotingFunction
#$ReifiableFunction
#$Individual
#$TextualMaterial documents (ibt)
A specialization of #$InformationBearingThing.
Each instance of #$TextualMaterial
is an information-bearing thing (IBT) whose informational
content is encoded in some instance of #$CommunicationConvention
(q.v.) which is a linear symbolic language; e.g., a
newspaper printed in English written with the Roman
alphabet; a book printed in English using Braille; or a
poster written in Chinese using characters. Textual material
always includes some physical representation of one or more
instances of #$CharacterString
(q.v.). Textual materials may be tangible objects, such as
newspapers, but also may include intangibles such as
patterns of light projecting words onto a wall. Notable
specializations of #$TextualMaterial
include #$OfficialDocument,
#$NonPublishedText,
and #$DrugPrescription.
guid: bd5904c7-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$StuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Artifact-Generic #$InformationBearingThing
direct generalization of:
#$Form-StandardizedIBO
#$ScheduleDocument #$Bill-PaymentRequest
#$NonPublishedText
#$OfficialDocument
#$CharacterString character strings
The collection of all strings of characters. Each
instance of the collection #$CharacterString
is a string of characters or an abstract sequence of
symbols. Note that it is _not_ any particular physical,
tangible representation; different encodings may represent
the same string of characters. An instance of #$CharacterString
has characters (instances of #$Character-Abstract) from some
fixed character set. An instance of #$CharacterString
may be any finite length, including zero (zero-length
strings are empty strings, which have no characters). If
instances of #$CharacterString
are concatenated, the result is also an instance of #$CharacterString,
with the length of the resulting string equal to the sum of
the lengths of the concatenated strings. Some types
(subsets) of #$CharacterString
include #$EMailAddress, #$AreaCode, #$PhoneNumber,
and #$PhoneCountryCode. Note that a #$CharacterString
is ordered formally as a #$List (rather than physically
left-to-right or top-to-bottom); thus the 'first' character
in the #$CharacterString
for an Arabic word happens to be the rightmost (first
pronounced) character, not the leftmost character, due to
the letter-order and word-order convention for Arabic writing.
guid: bd6100db-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$StuffType
#$TermPhrasesConstraint
direct specialization of: #$AbstractInformationStructure
direct generalization of:
#$TextString
#$SubLString #$IDString
#$ReferenceWork reference works
A specialization of #$TextualPCW. Each instance of
#$ReferenceWork
is a conceptual work providing a more or less
non-speculative, fact-oriented , comprehensive description
of some knowledge domain.
guid: bd58caa0-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$TextualPCW
#$HardcopyInformationBearingObject hard copies
A specialization of both #$Artifact and
#$HumanAccessibleIBO. Each instance of #$HardcopyInformationBearingObject
is an information-bearing object (IBO) in a `hard' format,
e.g., written on paper, on wood, on palm leaves, engraved in
metal, or carved on stone. Consequently, humans can read
hardcopy IBOs without using a computer or electronic device
to access them. Thus, #$HardcopyInformationBearingObject
does _not_ include the tangible IBOs which are embodied in
magnetic media (e.g., data or music on tapes or disks).
Examples of #$HardcopyInformationBearingObject:
a billboard, a greeting card, a restaurant check, a
magazine, an engraving by Rembrandt, a ten dollar bill, a
price tag, or a hardcopy of a #$Map (q.v.) with no text
on it.
guid: bd58e00e-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$SolidTangibleThing #$Artifact-NonAgentive #$HumanAccessibleIBO #$Artifact
direct generalization of: #$PaperIBT #$Card
#$Book-CW books (products)
A collection of #$ConceptualWorks. Instantiations
may be either hardcopy or electronic. Traditional hardcopy
instantiations are instances of #$BookCopy, but in the later
half of the Twentieth Century of the Common Era additional
formats were created (books on (audio) tape, computer media
containing instantiations of textual computer files, etc.
Instances of #$Book-CW are usually
#$TextualMaterial,
but some may contain only arrangements of images.
guid: bd58e6ab-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
#$ProductType
direct specialization of: #$PropositionalConceptualWork #$BookGeneric-CW
#$Card cards (visual
information sources)
An instance of #$ExistingObjectType,
and a specialization of #$HardcopyInformationBearingObject.
Each instance of #$Card
is a small, sturdy sheet of stuff -- usually cardstock
paper, although it could be plastic or thin metal -- bearing
some kind of information. Specializations of #$Card include #$CreditCard,
#$BusinessCard, and #$PostCard. Note that electronic objects
that perform the same functions as some instances of #$Card (for example,
electronic greeting cards) are not instances of #$Card.
guid: c0fd456f-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$PortableObject #$SheetOfSomeStuff #$HardcopyInformationBearingObject
direct generalization of: #$PrepaidTelephoneCard #$CreditCard
#$BankDebitCard
#$KnowledgeBase kb
A collection of intangible individuals; a
subcollection of #$Database-AbstractContent.
Each instance of #$KnowledgeBase
is a database that attempts to represent the structure of at
least part of the world. Instances include the #$CycKB and
#$SENSUS-Information1997.
guid: bd58d211-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$ConventionalClassificationSystem #$Database-AbstractContent
#$IndexedInfoSource indexed
info source
The collection of all structured information
sources in which the information contained therein is
indexed by some set of index terms (the terms could be
names, phrases, #$CharacterStrings,
#$IDNumbers or codes). For every index term, there is one
specific part of the #$IndexedInfoSource
associated with that term. Each instance of #$IndexedInfoSource
has some format or organizing structure of specified parts
or 'chunks' imposed on the information. (Although its
indexed parts might be be ordered in a certain sequence, in
theory it could be indexed without there being any
particular sequential ordering of the parts.) An instance of
#$IndexedInfoSource
is the abstract informational content of the source, not any
particular physical object in which the information is
stored. Examples include a #$Dictionary, #$Thesaurus, #$Database-AbstractContent,
or a #$KnowledgeBase.
Some examples that do not qualify are #$Painting-ArtForm, or
a #$CharacterString
without any structuring information about it or that has no
structure beyond being a string of characters. Thus this is
not referring to unstructured text, even if it has an
'Index'. The fact that a book has an index does not make it
an #$IndexedInfoSource.
guid: c03febed-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Artifact-Intangible #$StructuredInformationSource #$AbstractInformationalThing
direct generalization of:
#$Database-AbstractContent
#$OrganizationalChart
#$AbstractInformationalThing AIT (object)
A heterogeneous collection of abstract objects that
pertain to information. Subsumes not only #$Proposition, but
also the collections #$Sentence, #$CharacterString,
#$AtomicSymbol-Abstract, #$Microtheory,
#$PropositionalInformationThing,
and #$ConceptualWork. Note that while all #$AbstractInformationalThings
are abstract objects (this collection is disjoint with
#$SpatialThing-Localized), most instances of this collection
can have multiple concrete 'embodiments'. A single instance
of #$Sentence can be written on several peices of paper (see
#$instantiationOfAIS); a #$PropositionalInformationThing
may be the content of several concrete documents, such as
instances of #$BookCopy (see
#$containsInfoPropositional-IBT); and several events, such
as spoken utterances, may have a certain #$Proposition as
their content (see #$containsInformation).
Note that some instances of #$AbstractInformationalThing
have temporal extent. Examples include all instances of
#$Novel-CW and #$Movie-CW. Others specs are disjoint with #$TemporalThing.
Examples include all instances of #$Character-Abstract and #$Proposition.
guid: bdff6c64-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$StuffType
direct specialization of:
#$IntangibleIndividual
direct generalization of: #$ELSentenceTemplate #$ConventionalClassificationSystem
#$Microtheory
#$Information-Content #$DevisedPracticeOrWork
#$AbstractInformationStructure #$RuleTemplate #$IndexedInfoSource
#$CycLSentence #$BeliefSystem
#$FieldOfStudy #$LinguisticObject
#$CommunicationConvention
#$Credential
#$Algorithm #$ProgramSpecification #$News
#$SymbolicObject icons (ibt)
A collection of #$SymbolicThings which have some
material part (i.e. are instances of #$PartiallyTangible).
Each instance of #$SymbolicObject
by convention symbolizes some thing or event or achievement,
without describing it propositionally in any detail.
Examples include national flags, military medals and
ribbons, an Oscar, a Crucifix, a caduceus, and printed
trademark logos of commercial brands. Instances of #$SymbolicObject
need not have propositional information contents; probably
most do not. Rather, symbolic objects are typically
associated (by an informed interpreter) with the particular
entities that originated or appropriated them. To emotional
interpreters, such as humans, symbolic objects are often
evocative of certain attitudes associated with the entities
symbolized--such as nationalism, respect, school spirit,
hatred, reverence, etc. Only some instances of #$SymbolicObject
have the #$primaryFunction
of serving as symbols (e.g., national flags, war memorials);
others are symbolic in a secondary capacity (e.g., a
gravestone symbolizes death but its primary function is as a
marker). Some objects are created to serve a symbolic
function (primary or secondary), while others acquire
symbolic associations in the course of their `lifetimes'
(e.g., San Juan Hill, Ellis Island). Examples of #$SymbolicObject:
the #$ArcDeTriomphe, the #$StatueOfLiberty, the
#$PyramidOfCheops, the #$UnitedStatesCapitolBuilding (and
other capitol buildings); a hangman's noose, a Menorah, a
white dove, a black armband. Negative examples include
instances of #$NationalAnthem, #$Halo-Symbolic (unless as a
physical represenation in some artwork), and projected
#$Swastikas because none of these has a material part. For
such symbols, use the broader concept, #$SymbolicThing.
guid: bd58cf26-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$HumanAccessibleIBO #$SymbolicThing
direct generalization of: #$MemorialMarker
#$Insignia insignias (icons)
A collection of symbolic objects. Each element of
#$Insignia is a
visual configuration conventionally associated with some
organization, person, or other agent. Elements of #$Insignia include
monograms, company logos, devices of heraldry, totems, the
official seals of universities, etc.
guid: bd5890fd-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$SymbolicObject
#$Trophy trophies
A collection of objects. Each element of #$Trophy is a solid
tangible object with a symbolic meaning, awarded to some
agent(s) in recognition for winning some competition or
achieving some goal. Trophies typically contain (e.g., in
engraved writing) the name of the award, date, and name(s)
of the recipient(s). Examples: the Heisman trophy, the
Americas Cup, an Oscar.
guid: be010ebe-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
#$ProductType
direct specialization of:
#$SymbolicObject #$SolidTangibleProduct
#$MeaningInSystemFn meaning
in system fn
The function (MeaningInSystemFn INFOSOURCE STRING),
applied to a character string or code STRING in some
external information system INFOSOURCE, returns whatever
concept is meant by that string or code in that system. For
example, the value of (#$MeaningInSystemFn
WordNet-1995Version ''N221566'') is the concept (or WordNet
`synset') represented by the synonyms
(rampart|bulwark|wall), meaning 'an embankment built around
a space for defensive purposes' in the WordNet system. The
STRING can have any format chosen by the person who builds
the representation of the external system; usually it will
include some index string that is used as an identifier in
the external system. In addition, the STRING may arbitrarily
contain any further characters or information, depending on
how the external information is selected and processed. This
function allows you to relate a concept in an external
system to an arbitrarily complicated expression composed of
Cyc concepts. If the external concept has a direct, exact
mapping to a single Cyc constant, then it is better to use
the predicate #$synonymousExternalConcept
rather than this function. If the there is a direct
correspondence to one Cyc constant, but it is only an
approximate correspondence of meaning, you can use #$overlappingExternalConcept.
guid: bf3a978c-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryFunction #$ReifiableFunction
#$Individual
#$synonymousExternalConcept synonymous
external concept
(#$synonymousExternalConcept
TERM SOURCE STRING) means that the Cyc concept TERM is
synonymous with the concept named by STRING in the external
data source SOURCE.
guid: c0e2af4e-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$FunctionalPredicate
#$TernaryPredicate
#$overlappingExternalConcept overlapping
external concept
(#$overlappingExternalConcept
TERM SOURCE STRING) means that the Cyc concept TERM overlaps
semantically with the concept named by STRING in the
external data source SOURCE.
guid: bf83203b-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$TernaryPredicate
#$ConventionalClassificationType conventional
classification types
The collection of all those collections that each
correspond to a category in some agreed-upon or conventional
classification system (a #$ConventionalClassificationSystem)
used by people. In such systems, a change or
reclassification is possible by a decision of an authority,
or by a changed social agreement or custom, without changing
the intrinsic facts about the actual objects in the
category. (This applies only to named, known classification
systems or schemas, and not to everything under the sun as
might be urged by some 1990's-era postmodernist
deconstructionist literary criticism theorists.) #$ConventionalClassificationType
would include categories in biological taxonomy, standard
classifications, data dictionaries, thesauri, cultural taboo
classes, military doctrinal classes, named calendar
intervals, etc.
guid: bee6da31-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$VariableOrderCollection
#$CollectionType
direct specialization of:
#$Collection
direct generalization of:
#$UnitOfMeasureTypeByTypeMeasured
#$UnitOfMeasureTypeBySystem #$OrganismClassificationType
#$ConventionallyClassifiedDisjointTimeIntervalType #$TimeOfDayType
#$PersonTypeByCulture
#$FoodGroupType
#$ConventionalClassificationSystem conventional
classification systems
The collection of all agreed-upon or conventional
classification systems, each consisting of #$ConventionalClassificationTypes.
In such systems, a change or reclassification is possible by
a decision of an authority, or by a changed social
agreement, without changing the intrinsic facts about the
actual objects in the category. (This applies only to named
or known classification systems or schemas, and not to
everything under the sun as might be urged by some
1990's-era postmodernist deconstructionist literary
criticism theorists.) #$ConventionalClassificationSystems
would include biological taxonomies, standard
classifications, data dictionaries, thesauri, cultural taboo
systems, military doctrinal systems, calendar systems, etc.
guid: c0d808c9-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$AbstractInformationalThing #$Artifact-Intangible
direct generalization of:
#$KnowledgeBase
#$IDDocument identification cards
A collection of official documents. Each instance
of #$IDDocument
is an accepted credential for identifying some object.
Important subcollections of #$IDDocument include
#$Passport,
#$DriversLicense, #$SocialSecurityCard. Other examples
include student ID cards, dog tags (worn by military
personnel), dog tags (worn by dogs), authentication
certificates for a work of art or an antique.
guid: bd58903e-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$OfficialDocument
direct generalization of:
#$StockCertificate
#$BankDebitCard
#$Passport #$CreditCard
#$Check-TenderObject
#$BankDebitCard bank
debit cards
A collection of official `documents'. Each instance
of #$BankDebitCard
is a plastic card that enables the holder to access the
account with which the card is associated; typically used to
withdraw funds from the account. See also #$CreditCard.
guid: c0fd4920-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$MoneyTenderType
direct specialization of: #$Plastic #$FreeSheet #$Card #$TenderObject #$IDDocument
#$Passport passports
A specialization of #$LegalDocument. Each instance
of #$Passport is a
document issued to a person by the government of a country
in order to identify that person as a citizen of that
country while s/he is travelling across or outside of its borders.
guid: c10afd58-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$LegalDocument #$IDDocument
#$CreditCard credit cards
A specialization of both #$Card and #$TenderObject.
Each instance of #$CreditCard is
a piece of plastic that enables authorized users to spend
the card-issuing company's money, drawn as a (usually
unsecured) loan through an associated instance of
#$CreditCardAccount (q.v.) under a pre-arranged credit
agreement. The credit card company credits the vendor of the
purchased goods or services and bills the card user, usually
with interest.
guid: bd58ceea-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$MoneyTenderType
direct specialization of:
#$FinancialAccountTenderObject #$Plastic #$FreeSheet #$Card #$IDDocument
#$StockCertificate stock certificates
A specialization of #$OfficialDocument.
Each instance of #$StockCertificate
is a document issued by a company to one of its
shareholders, certifying the shareholder's ownership of some
number of shares of stock in that corporation.
guid: c0fd4a24-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IDDocument
#$OfficialDocument official documents
A collection of #$InformationBearingObjects
(IBOs). Each instance of #$OfficialDocument
is a document that can be used as the basis, proof, or
support of some fact (such as a person's nationality,
marital status, credit, or qualifications; or the ownership
or transfer of property; etc.). #$OfficialDocuments
are typically generated, issued, and/or certified by the
relevant institutions (as with #$Passports or #$StockCertificates),
but they also include unique personal documents (such as
wills) which meet certain standards to be accepted in
support of facts. Subcollections of #$OfficialDocument
include: #$BirthCertificates, #$TaxReturns, insurance
policies, #$PostageStamps, receipts, #$PackingSlips, student
ID cards, etc.
guid: bd58971b-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Artifact #$InformationBearingObject #$TextualMaterial
direct generalization of: #$LegalDocument #$DrugPrescription
#$IDDocument
#$PublishedMaterial publications (products)
A specialization of #$InformationStore. Each
instance of #$PublishedMaterial
is either a conceptual work (an instance of
#$ConceptualWork) with instantiations which have been
produced for distribution, or an information-bearing thing
(an instance of #$InformationBearingThing)
which has been produced for distribution. Note that
published here does not mean printed and physically
distributed , since intangible information-bearing things
can be published using the #$WorldWideWeb-Concrete, or
broadcast on the airwaves. Notable specializations of #$PublishedMaterial
include #$Book-CW,
#$RecordedVideoProduct,
and #$RecordedSoundProduct.
guid: bd58c1bd-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$Product #$Artifact-Generic #$InformationStore
direct generalization of:
#$RecordedVideoProduct
#$RecordedSoundProduct
#$Book-CW
#$BookGeneric-CW
#$NonPublishedText unpublished texts
A collection of information bearing things (IBTs).
#$NonPublishedText
is that subcollection of #$TextualMaterial
whose instances are text that has not yet been published
(such as a rejected book manuscript) and may not even be
intended for publication (such as a memo or personal letter).
guid: bd58c599-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$TextualMaterial
#$RecordedVideoProduct recorded
video product
A specialization of both #$PublishedMaterial
and #$PartiallyTangibleProduct. Each instance of #$RecordedVideoProduct
is a video recording which is one of a class of similar
recordings with the same information content.
guid: bd58e771-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$ProductType #$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$PublishedMaterial #$MediaProduct #$PartiallyTangibleProduct
#$RecordedSoundProduct sound
recording products
A specialization of both #$PartiallyTangibleProduct
and #$PublishedMaterial.
Each instance of #$RecordedSoundProduct
is a sound recording which is one of a class of similar
recordings with the same information content.
guid: bd590495-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$ProductType #$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$PublishedMaterial #$Artifact #$PartiallyTangibleProduct
#$Credential credentials
A specialization of #$PropositionalInformationThing.
Each instance of #$Credential is
specific information about one agent, provided by another
agent; the information content of a credential consists of
favorable, enabling, or empowering propositional
declarations. Although each instance of #$Credential is
wholly intangible, instances of #$Credential usually
have some associated physical document (e.g., a diploma
associated with a college degree, a driver's license). A
credential may certify that the holder (i.e., the subject of
the credential) has a particular skill (e.g., legal bar
certification, ability to drive); has completed certain
training (e.g., GED schooling, Ph.D. requirements; is
allowed to do a certain thing (e.g., travel visa, permission
slip); and so on.
guid: bd58b0a1-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$TemporalThing #$PropositionalInformationThing
direct generalization of:
#$EducationalDegree
#$Visa-Permit
#$License-LegalAgreement licenses (credentials)
A collection of intangible pieces of information; a
subset of #$Permission.
Each element of #$License-LegalAgreement
is a credential issued by a granting authority and recorded
in some tangible document (see #$License-IBO), which
authorizes the agent to whom it is issued to perform actions
of a certain kind. Sample subsets of #$License-LegalAgreement
include: #$TrainEngineerLicense, #$DriversLicense, #$PestControlLicense.
guid: bd58aede-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential #$Permission #$AuthorizedAgreement #$LegalAgreement
#$Accreditation accreditation
A collection of abstract (intangible) objects
consisting of information; a subset of #$Credential. Each
element of #$Accreditation
is a credential, issued to an organization by the
appropriate authority, that declares the issuer's approval
of the quality of the recipient's activities. For example,
accreditation of an educational organization to offer a kind
of degree or training; or accreditation of a hospital to
offer medical services.
guid: c10aff30-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential
#$Recommendation recommendation
A collection of abstract (intangible) objects which
consist of information; a subset of #$Credential. Each
element of #$Recommendation
consists of a statement by some agent about the qualities of
another agent, product, program, or activity. Examples: a
letter of recommendation for graduate school; a reference
letter for a jobseeker; or a product endorsement.
guid: bd58da09-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential
#$EducationalDegree degrees (credentials)
A specialization of #$Credential. Each
instance of #$EducationalDegree
is a credential conferred by some instance of #$EducationalOrganization
on a student who has successfully completed a prescribed
course of study there. #$EducationalDegree
includes as instances high school, associate, baccalaureate,
licensate, magisterial, professional, and doctoral degrees.
guid: bd58a9fa-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential
#$CertificationOfCompetence certification
of competence
A collection of certifications. Each element of #$CertificationOfCompetence
is the (abstract) declaration, by an appropriate authority,
that a person is competent to perform a certain kind of job
or task. Such a certification may be embodied in a written
document, oral testimonial, or personal recommendation.
guid: bd58f11d-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential
#$HealthCertificate health certificates
A collection of credentials. Each element of #$HealthCertificate
is the (abstract) declaration, by the appropriate authority,
that a particular person (or other animal) is in good
health. Typically a health certificate is embodied in a
document issued by the authority.
guid: bd58b019-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential
#$CertificationOfWorkExperience certification
of work experience
A collection of credentials. Each element of #$CertificationOfWorkExperience
is an (abstract) declaration, by an appropriate authority,
that a particular person has performed a certain amount of
work of some kind. Such information might be embodied in a
letter, a form, or a verbal statement issued by the authority.
guid: bd58bb8d-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential
#$Visa-Permit visas (credentials)
A specialization of both #$Permission
and #$LegalAgreement.
Each instance of #$Visa-Permit is an
authorization issued by the government of some country to
one (or more) person(s), stating that s/he is allowed to
enter that country and remain for a certain period of time
while engaging in certain specified activities (e.g., study,
travel, work). Specializations of #$Visa-Permit
include #$H1WorkVisa, #$F1WorkVisa, and #$GreenCard.
guid: bd5af45a-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Credential #$Permission #$LegalAgreement
#$News news
A specialization of #$PropositionalInformationThing.
Each instance of #$News
consists of some factual information about recent events in
the world (or #$geographicalSubRegions
thereof). News is commonly embodied in newspapers and
communicated through radio and television news broadcasts.
Note that #$News does
not include as instances any instance of #$NewsArticle
(q.v.). Rather, an instance of #$News might be the
content of a #$NewsArticle, and could be the content of
distinct #$NewsArticles
guid: bd58dbd1-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$Collection
direct specialization of: #$NonfictionalContext
#$Narrative narratives
The collection of all
#$PropositionalConceptualWorks that recount a sequence of
events (in chronological order or in such a manner that
their temporal order can be ascertained) involving some
agent or agents. Instances of #$Narrative may be
fictional or factual and, accordingly, may involve #$Persons or
#$FictionalCharacters. Important specializations of #$Narrative include
#$Novel-CW and #$Biography.
guid: bd58886c-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ExistingObjectType
direct specialization of: #$PropositionalConceptualWork
#$Instructions instructions (AIT)
The collection of all #$ConceptualWorks which are
executable pieces of information. Each instance of #$Instructions
outlines a sequence of tasks to be performed, such as
instructions on a food package, verbal instructions, a
musical score, etc.
guid: bd58db4d-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of: #$PropositionalConceptualWork
#$IllocutionaryForce illocutionary
forces (attribute values)
The collection of illocutionary force attributes
held by illocutionary acts. Each instance of #$IllocutionaryForce
is a specialized component of a communication; its function
is to indicate how the speaker in a communication wants the
agent(s) whom s/he is addressing to understand, and respond
to, the situation--i.e., the state of affairs--described in
that communication. Isolating the `illocutionary force' of a
communication allows us to characterize the intention of a
speaker; e.g., whether s/he means to assert that the
described state of affairs in fact holds; or to express a
desire that such a state of affairs hold; or to command
someone to make that state of affairs hold; or to offer to
make the state of affairs hold. S/he may even intend to make
something true by stating it (e.g., ``I name this ship `The
Intrepid'.''). Usually, apprehending a speaker's intention
is important for understanding what s/he means and what s/he
intends the hearer to do. Although the content of an
illocutionary act can be represented propositionally, they
are not generally communicated so explicitly. For example,
questions in English are typically communicated by inverting
subject-object word order and raising one's intonation at
the end of the utterance. (The intonation marker so strongly
indicates a question that it may suffice without the
inverted word order, as in `You are going tonight' uttered
with a rising intonation.) Commands in English typically
have an (unexpressed) understood subject and perhaps a
forceful tone. In every culture and language there are
conventional sets of commonly used illocutionary forces
which would be instances of #$IllocutionaryForce
for that culture; e.g., in English, they include #$Inform, #$Request, #$Offer, #$Promise, and #$Query. Note: although
in this comment #$IllocutionaryForce
is explained in terms of utterances, it applies to
communication generally; so `speaker' and `listener' should
be broadly interpreted to mean, respectively, any #$senderOfInfo and
#$recipientOfInfo.
See also #$Communicating,
#$CommunicationAct-Single.
In #$CycL, illocutionary forces can be related to
communication acts having some propositional content, via
#$iteIllocutionaryForce, or to the microtheory containing
formulas expressing the information transferred in an
illocutionary act with #$componentIF.
guid: bd58d8c6-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$AttributeType
direct specialization of:
#$AttributeValue
direct generalization of:
#$ConstativeIllocutionaryForce
#$DirectiveIllocutionaryForce
#$CommissiveIllocutionaryForce
#$Inform inform
An instance of #$IllocutionaryForce.
If a communication act has this illocutionary force, the
intention of the sender of information (see #$senderOfInfo) is
to inform the intended recipient(s) of the propositional
content of the communication act.
guid: bd588d9e-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$ConstativeIllocutionaryForce
#$Individual
#$Request request
An illocutionary force associated with requests. If
a communication act has this illocutionary force it is the
speaker's intention to ask the listener to perform the
action(s) described in his/her utterance. If the listener
responds positively, s/he places him/herself under an
obligation to do the indicated action. `Speaker' and
`listener' are broadly interpreted to mean, respectively,
any #$senderOfInfo and
#$recipientOfInfo.
guid: bd58d87c-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$DirectiveIllocutionaryForce #$Individual
#$Command command
(attribute value)
A kind of illocutionary force associated with
commanding. When illocutionary act has this illocutionary
force, then the speaker intends to have the listener either
carry out the action described in the utterance and/or bring
about the situation described in the utterance. The speaker
in any given instance of #$Ordering-CommunicationAct
presupposes that s/he has the authority to command those
s/he adresses. `Speaker' and `listener' are broadly
interpreted to mean, respectively, any #$senderOfInfo and
#$recipientOfInfo.
guid: bd58dac6-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$DirectiveIllocutionaryForce #$Individual
#$Offer offer (attribute value)
An attribute which may be possessed by instances of
#$CommunicationAct-Single.
If a communication act has this attribute, then the one
communicating (the #$senderOfInfo) is
volunteering to perform the action described in that
utterance and/or bring about the situation described
therein, on the condition that the listener (the #$recipientOfInfo)
accept the offer. An offer may be made with additional
conditions as well. When an offer is accepted (and any
additional conditions are true), the speaker of the offer
incurs an obligation. See also #$Offering-CommunicationAct, #$obligatedAgent.
guid: bd588d5b-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$CommissiveIllocutionaryForce
#$Individual
#$Promise promise
(attribute value)
An attribute associated with instances of #$CommunicationAct-Single.
If a communication act has this attribute, then the #$senderOfInfo
intends to carry out the action described in the act and is
obligated to do so.
guid: bd588d19-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$CommissiveIllocutionaryForce
#$Individual
#$Query query (attribute value)
The illocutionary force associated with a querying
act. The speaker's ultimate goal may be either to learn the
information or to test the knowledge of the agent queried.
`Speaker' and `listener' are broadly interpreted to mean,
respectively, any #$senderOfInfo and
#$recipientOfInfo.
See also #$IllocutionaryForce,
#$RequestingInformation.
guid: bd58a082-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$DirectiveIllocutionaryForce #$Individual
#$MentalInformation pieces
of mental information
A specialization of #$PropositionalInformationThing.
Each instance of #$MentalInformation
is the propositional content of a specific mental state of
an individual person. Thus, this is information which is
embodied in a person having a memory or sensory perception
or other type of thought.
guid: bd58daca-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$Collection
direct specialization of:
#$PropositionalInformationThing
direct generalization of:
#$Memory #$SensoryInformation
#$Memory memory
A specialization of #$MentalInformation.
Each instance of #$Memory is the
propositional content of a mental state in which a person
recalls past events. Most commonly those memories concern
first-person experiences, but they may include recollections
of anything that the person has learned in the past.
guid: bd58da47-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$Collection
direct specialization of:
#$MentalInformation
#$SensoryInformation sensory information
A specialization of #$MentalInformation.
Each instance of #$SensoryInformation
is the propositional content of a mental state in which an
animal or other sentient being perceives something.
guid: bd58da88-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$Collection
direct specialization of:
#$MentalInformation
#$VisualRepresentationMicrotheory visual
representation microtheory
A specialization of #$PropositionalInformationThing.
Each instance of #$VisualRepresentationMicrotheory
is a context containing the propositional content of a
particular visual representation, where visual
representations include, among other things, paintings,
photographs, digitized images, moving pictures, and statues.
guid: bd5f2401-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$MicrotheoryType
direct specialization of:
#$PropositionalInformationThing
#$ImageMicrotheory image microtheories
A collection of microtheories; a subset of #$VisualRepresentationMicrotheory.
Each element of #$ImageMicrotheory
is a context in which to state the propositional content of
a particular two-dimensional visual image. That includes
both still images and moving pictures. Images which are
approximately two-dimensional (such as friezes) may also be
described with an image microtheory.
guid: bd5904e6-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$MicrotheoryType
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualRepresentationMicrotheory
#$StillImageMicrotheory still
image microtheory
A collection microtheories; a subset of #$ImageMicrotheory.
Each element of #$StillImageMicrotheory
is a context in which to state the propositional content of
a particular (two-dimensional) still image, such as a
photograph, painting, or drawing.
guid: c10067be-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$MicrotheoryType
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualRepresentationMicrotheory
#$FieldOfStudy fields
of study
A specialization of #$AbstractInformationalThing.
Each instance of #$FieldOfStudy is
a particular area of study, with its own distinctive set of
theories, hypotheses, and problems. Instances of #$FieldOfStudy are
typically the subject of teaching and/or research within
instances of #$AcademicDepartment
(q.v.), although one #$AcademicDepartment
may cover several instances of #$FieldOfStudy.
Instances of #$FieldOfStudy
include #$ArtHistory, #$Physics, and #$ArtificialIntelligence.
guid: bd58b737-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$AbstractInformationalThing
direct generalization of:
#$ScientificFieldOfStudy
#$LiberalArtsFieldOfStudy liberal arts
A collection of microtheories; a subset of #$FieldOfStudy.
Each element of #$LiberalArtsFieldOfStudy
is one of those fields of study affiliated with the liberal
arts, which includes fields expected to be known to some
degree by all educated people, but excluding most
specialized knowledge taught in professional schools.
Examples: #$History-FieldOfStudy, #$ArtHistory,
#$PhilosophyModern, #$Mathematics.
guid: c1007c21-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$FieldOfStudy
#$AppliedDesignFieldOfStudy applied
design field of study
A collection of fields of study. Each element of #$AppliedDesignFieldOfStudy
is a specialized body of knowledge about the design of
useful objects or structures. Examples:
#$ArchitecturalDesign, commercial art studies, industrial design.
guid: c1007c29-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$FieldOfStudy
#$ScientificFieldOfStudy scientific disciplines
A specialization of #$FieldOfStudy.
Each instance of #$ScientificFieldOfStudy
is a specialized body of knowledge, theory, hypotheses,
observations, and problems, which together constitute the
informational content of a systematic endeavor to explain
(some part of) the natural world by rational (and
frequently, quantifiable) methods, including, but not
limited to, induction, falsifiable hypotheses tested by
repeatable physical experiments, and deductive proof.
Instances of #$ScientificFieldOfStudy
include the traditional hard sciences (e.g., #$Physics,
#$Chemistry), the life sciences (e.g., #$Biology,
#$Genetics, #$Toxicology), and #$Mathematics.
guid: bd58b7fc-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$FieldOfStudy
#$InformationTransferEvent information transfers
A specialization of #$GeneralizedTransfer.
Each instance of #$InformationTransferEvent
is an event in which information is transferred from a
source (#$informationOrigin)
to one or more destinations (#$informationDestination),
where the source and the various destinations are either
intelligent agents or #$InformationBearingThings
(IBTs). Examples include reading a book (transfer of
information from the book to the reader), saying something
to someone (transfer of information from the speaker to the
listener), machine translation (transfer of information from
an encoded IBT in the source language to an encoded IBT in
the target language), OCR scanning (transfer of information
from a visual information source to another IBT in a
different format), carving initials in a tree (transfer of
information from an agent to an IBT), and making a speech
(transfer of information from an agent to other agents). See
also the specialization #$InformationTransferPhysicalEvent.
guid: bd589f07-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$GeneralizedTransfer
direct generalization of:
#$InformationTransferPhysicalEvent #$AccessingAnIBT
#$Communicating
#$MeetingTakingPlace #$IBTGeneration
#$Trial #$InformationGathering
#$InformationRecordingProcess information-recording processes
A collection of events in which information is
recorded, using an #$InformationRecordingDevice.
Every #$InformationRecordingProcess
produces an #$InformationBearingObject.
guid: bd58e14f-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$IBOCreation
#$topicOfInfoTransfer topic
(binary role predicate)
The predicate #$topicOfInfoTransfer
is used to indicate what a particular communication is
about. (#$topicOfInfoTransfer
TRANS TOPIC) means that TOPIC is a primary topic of the
information communicated in the #$InformationTransferEvent
TRANS. For example, a result reported after an instance of
#$BloodTest will contain information about the
#$objectTested (viz., the blood sample); the patient's blood
is thus a #$topicOfInfoTransfer
of that report.
guid: bd5cee44-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of: #$topicOfIndividual
#$informationOrigin information origin
The predicate #$informationOrigin
is used to indicate the source of information for a
particular #$InformationTransferEvent.
(#$informationOrigin
TRANSFER ORIGIN) means that in the #$InformationTransferEvent
TRANSFER, the information being transferred is coming from
ORIGIN. ORIGIN is either an IBT (i.e., instance of #$InformationBearingThing)
or an agent. Note that if ORIGIN still exists past the
transfer, it presumably still contains the information.
guid: bd5e4f03-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AsymmetricBinaryPredicate
#$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of: #$from-Generic
#$informationTerminal
#$informationDestination information destination
The predicate #$informationDestination
is used to indicate where information is transferred in a
particular information transfer event. (#$informationDestination
TRANSFER DEST) means that in the #$InformationTransferEvent
TRANSFER, the information being transferred is sent, given
to, or impressed upon DEST. DEST is either an
information-bearing thing (i.e., an instance of #$InformationBearingThing)
or an agent. Note that if DEST is an agent, one should
probably use the more specific actor slot, #$recipientOfInfo.
guid: bd58a9c5-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AsymmetricBinaryPredicate
#$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of: #$to-Generic
#$informationTerminal
#$senderOfInfo information sender
The predicate #$senderOfInfo is
used to indicate the sending agent in a particular transfer
of information. (#$senderOfInfo
TRANSFER SENDER) means that SENDER is an agent who is the
source of information transferred in the #$InformationTransferEvent
TRANSFER. At the time of TRANSFER (and typically for some
period beforehand), SENDER conceives of the information
transferred in TRANSFER. It's not the case that SENDER
necessarily knows the `information' or has it among his/her
beliefs (see the predicates #$knows and #$beliefs), because
TRANSFER could involve lying (e.g., #$GeorgeWashington's
telling his father, `I didn't chop down the cherry tree').
Note that (#$senderOfInfo
TRANSFER SENDER) implies that SENDER performs TRANSFER
intentionally, in the sense that there is some other agent
(related to TRANSFER via #$communicationTarget)
that SENDER is attempting to transfer information to via
TRANSFER. Of course, SENDER may or may not be successful in
transferring that information to the other agent.
guid: bd588f2d-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AgentiveRole
direct specialization of:
#$informationOrigin
#$performedBy
#$recipientOfInfo perceiver
(actor slot)
The predicate #$recipientOfInfo
is used to indicate who receives information in a particular
communication event. (#$recipientOfInfo
TRANSFER RECIP) means that the information transferred in
the #$InformationTransferEvent
TRANSFER is received by the #$Agent RECIP. After
TRANSFER, RECIP understands or conceives of the information
transferred in TRANSFER; Cyc does NOT conclude that s/he #$knows the
information or counts it among his/her #$beliefs, because
RECIP might not believe it. In receiving the information
transferred, RECIP may be acting intentionally or
unintentionally. Note that if the communication event used
in the first argument slot of this predicate is a #$CommunicationAct-Single
and the recipient of the information was intended to receive
the information by the originator of the communication event
(see #$communicationTarget)
then #$recipientOfInfo-Intended should probably be used
instead of #$recipientOfInfo.
See also #$infoTransferred.
guid: bd5a9863-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AgentiveRole
direct specialization of:
#$informationDestination
#$actors
#$infoTransferred info transferred
The predicate #$infoTransferred
is used to indicate the meaningful content of a particular
transferral of information. (#$infoTransferred
TRANSFER INFO) means that INFO is information that is
transferred due to the #$InformationTransferEvent
TRANSFER. INFO originates from some agent or IBT (i.e.,
instance of #$InformationBearingThing).
After TRANSFER, INFO is contained in another IBT or agent;
INFO may persist in the source as well. For example, when I
read the front page of the newspaper, some information about
current world events is transferred from the newspaper to
me. See also #$informationOrigin,
#$informationDestination.
guid: bd652aec-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of:
#$topicOfInfoTransfer
#$Communicating communicating
A collection of events. Each instance of #$Communicating
is an event in which the transfer of information between or
among agents is a focal action; communicating is the main
purpose and/or goal in the event. That may be contrasted
with events which involve communication but wherein the
focus is different, e.g., playing cards (wherein the
progressive actions -- and winning -- of the game are
focal). Since #$Communicating
is a specialization of #$PurposefulAction,
each #$Communicating
event must be intentional on the part of the #$senderOfInfo; it
may or may not be intentional on the part of the #$recipientOfInfo.
Hence, a speaker on a soapbox haranguing an indifferent
crowd is performing an instance of #$Communicating.
In contrast, Juliet soliloquizing on her balcony, unaware
that Romeo is listening to her, is not #$Communicating;
this #$InformationTransferEvent
would be an instance of #$Eavesdropping. Communicating may
be either a one-way or a two-way transfer of information
(cf. #$CommunicationAct-Single,
#$MultiDirectionalCommunication).
Every event belonging to #$Communicating
contains at least one transfer of information between at
least two agents who participate in the event. (Note that
the latter requirement excludes reading and writing from #$Communicating,
when those events are just the private accessing or
generating of information.) Communicating may be specialized
in various ways, such as, by the method or medium used
(e.g., #$AudioCommunicating,
#$NonVerbalCommunicating,
#$FaceToFacePresenceCommunicating); by the type of
information involved (e.g., #$MakingAnAgreement);
by the purpose of the communication (e.g., #$Teaching,
#$Negotiating); by the agents involved (e.g.,
#$IntraOrganizationCommunication, #$StageProduction).
Examples of #$Communicating
include a symphony performance, an email message, a
telephone call, a speech, a handshake, issuing a traffic
ticket -- all of which normally, and focally, involve
communication between two or more agents.
guid: bd589ec5-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
direct specialization of:
#$Action #$InformationTransferEvent
direct generalization of:
#$MultiDirectionalCommunication
#$Teaching #$NonVerbalCommunicating
#$VisualCommunicating
#$AudioCommunicating
#$CommunicationAct-Single
#$MakingAnAgreement
#$communicationTarget intended
recipient of communication
The predicate #$communicationTarget
is used to indicate an intended recipient in a communication
act. (#$communicationTarget
COMM AGENT) means that the agent who originates the #$CommunicationAct-Single
COMM intends the #$recipientOfInfo
to be AGENT. Note that AGENT may or may not receive the
information contained in COMM. To indicate both that AGENT
is an intended recipient of COMM, and that AGENT actually
receives the information contained in COMM, use the more
specialized predicate #$recipientOfInfo-Intended.
guid: bd5c2e85-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ActorSlot
direct specialization of: #$target #$preActors
#$communicationToken communication token
The predicate #$communicationToken
is used to indicate the particular instance of #$InformationBearingThing
that is instrumental in a particular communication. (#$communicationToken
COM IBT) means that IBT is an #$InformationBearingThing
that carries the information transferred in the #$Communicating
COM. A communication event transfers the information content
of IBT from one agent to some other(s). IBT may be a
tangible object (e.g., a newspaper), a sound (e.g., a
voice), an image (e.g., from a television broadcast), or
even a touch (e.g., a staying hand).
guid: bd58ef66-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryRolePredicate
#$languageOfCommunication language
of communication
The predicate #$languageOfCommunication
is used to indicate a language used by agents in a
particular communication event. (#$languageOfCommunication
COM LANG) means that in the #$Communicating
COM, the information transferred is expressed in the
language LANG. LANG may be a natural language, a computer
language, a musical system, or other symbolic system such as #$AmericanSignLanguage.
guid: bd5893ad-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$FunctionalSlot
#$BinaryRolePredicate #$IntangibleObjectPredicate
#$AudioCommunicating audio-communicating events
A specialization of #$Communicating.
Each instance of #$AudioCommunicating
is a transmission of sound-borne information between two (or
more) agents. Specializations of #$AudioCommunicating
include #$SpokenCommunicating
and #$MusicalCommunicating.
guid: bd58c907-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Communicating
direct generalization of:
#$SpokenCommunicating
#$SpokenCommunicating speaking
(carrying information)
A specialization of #$AudioCommunicating.
Each instance of #$SpokenCommunicating
is a transmission of sound-borne verbal information by
spoken words between two (or more) agents. The communication
may be one-way or two-way (or multi-way). Examples of #$SpokenCommunicating
include a telephone conversation, a classroom discussion,
and the #$GettysburgAddress-Speech.
guid: bd589537-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$AudioCommunicating #$HumanActivity
direct generalization of: #$Conversation
#$NonVerbalCommunicating nonverbal communicating
A collection of information transfer events; a
subcollection of #$Communicating.
Each instance of #$NonVerbalCommunicating
is a transmission of information by means of some bodily
movement other than speaking. Subcollections include
#$ShakingHands and #$Cuddling, since such actions by
definition are communications involving two actors. (Note
that #$MakingAGesture
(q.v.) is NOT a subcollection of #$NonVerbalCommunicating;
instances of #$MakingAGesture
are merely information-encodings. They may or may not be #$subEvents of #$NonVerbalCommunicating events.)
guid: bd588f6b-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Communicating
#$VisualCommunicating visual communicating
A specialization of #$Communicating.
Each instance of #$VisualCommunicating
is an action in which information is transmitted by visual
media. Every instance of #$VisualCommunicating
has at least one #$communicationToken
(q.v.) which is an instance of #$VisualInformationSource.
Examples of #$VisualCommunicating:
a performance by mime Marcel Marceau; Seiji Ozawa conducting
the Boston Symphony Orchestra; a policeman directing
traffic; shaking a fist at someone in anger; sending a
message with flags, light pulses, or smoke signals.
guid: bd58a4fc-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Communicating
#$CommunicationAct-Single communication acts
A collection of information transfer events; a
specialization of #$Communicating.
Each instance of #$CommunicationAct-Single
is a single-source transmission of information from _one_
sender (see the predicate #$senderOfInfo) to
one or more recipients (see the predicate #$recipientOfInfo).
Every instance of #$CommunicationAct-Single
has a transmission sub-event (which is an instance of #$IBTGeneration)
and one or more reception sub-events (which are instances of
#$AccessingAnIBT).
An instance of #$CommunicationAct-Single
starts when its transmission sub-event starts and ends when
its accessing sub-event(s) end.
guid: bd589e83-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Communicating
direct generalization of: #$Advertising
#$GreetingSomeone #$Inform-CommunicationAct
#$Offering-CommunicationAct
#$Requesting-CommunicationAct
#$Acknowledging-CommunicationAct
#$MultiDirectionalCommunication dialogues
A collection of complex information transfer
events. Each instance of #$MultiDirectionalCommunication
is an event in which more than one agent is involved as a #$senderOfInfo.
For example, a conversation or a debate, as opposed to a
speech or lecture. The predicate #$infoContributed
is used to correlate each sending agent with the information
s/he transmits in such an event. For communication acts
having only one sender, see #$CommunicationAct-Single.
guid: bd5891c4-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$Collection
direct specialization of:
#$Communicating
direct generalization of: #$Negotiating
#$Conversation
#$infoContributed info contributed
The predicate #$infoContributed
is used to identify which agent said what in a particular
complex communication activity. (#$infoContributed
MULTICOM AGENT INFO) means that in the #$MultiDirectionalCommunication
event MULTICOM, AGENT does something that expresses INFO.
Note that speaking, writing, or otherwise signalling are all
viable methods of `saying'. The (unspecified) thing that
AGENT does in MULTICOM generates the message, and INFO is a
propositional item expressing the content of AGENT's
message. See also #$PropositionalInformationThing
and #$IBTGeneration.
guid: bd5a3453-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$TernaryPredicate
#$AccessingAnIBT information-accessing events
A specialization of both #$InformationTransferEvent
and #$PurposefulAction.
Each instance of #$AccessingAnIBT
is an action by which an agent accesses the content of some
instance(s) of #$InformationBearingThing.
Examples include (getting information from) reading a
newspaper, watching a film, listening to a musical
performance, decoding an encrypted message, seeing a traffic
police officer wave one on, or hearing one's roommate ask
one to take out the trash.
guid: bd58d61f-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationTransferEvent #$PurposefulAction #$TransferIn
direct generalization of:
#$Reading #$EntertainmentPerformance
#$ListeningDeliberately
#$IBTGeneration generations
of an Information Bearing Thing
A specialization of #$InformationTransferEvent.
Each instance of #$IBTGeneration
is an event which creates some information-bearing
thing--thus, an event in which some idea or information is
expressed. In instances of #$IBTGeneration,
the instance of #$InformationBearingThing
which is created may be either a transient wave phenomenon
(e.g., made of sound, light, or radio waves), or it may be a
relatively long-lasting instance of #$InformationBearingObject
(cf. #$IBOCreation).
Humans frequently generate such information-bearing things
as spoken language, gestures, and handwritten notes. It is
irrelevant for instances of #$IBTGeneration
whether there is another agent who immediately (or, indeed,
ever) accesses the resulting information-bearing thing. Note
the difference: reading is _not_ an instance of #$IBTGeneration,
but writing (usually) is. Note that every communication act
starts with an instance of #$IBTGeneration.
See also #$Communicating
and its specializations, especially #$CommunicationAct-Single.
guid: bd70d156-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$TransferOut #$Action #$InformationTransferEvent
direct generalization of: #$Advertising #$VisualInformationConveyingAct
#$IBTGeneration-Replication
#$IBTGeneration-Original
#$IBOCreation
#$Talking
#$ibtGenerated ibt generated
The predicate #$ibtGenerated is
used to link a particular information bearing thing (IBT) to
the event in which it is created. (#$ibtGenerated
GEN IBT) means that the #$InformationBearingThing
IBT comes about, happens, or comes into existence in or as
an immediate consequence of the event GEN. See also #$IBTGeneratedFn.
guid: beacbd12-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AsymmetricBinaryPredicate
#$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of:
#$informationDestination
#$IBOCreation creations
of an information-bearing object
A specialization of both #$PhysicalCreationEvent
and #$IBTGeneration.
Each instance of #$IBOCreation is an
event in which an instance of #$InformationBearingObject
(hereafter IBO) is created. Examples of #$IBOCreation
include publishing a book, making a film, printing a
photograph, molding a plastic credit card, painting a
billboard, and minting a coin. When an IBO is created, its
content may be either original, be copied from a prior #$InformationBearingThing,
or be instantiated from an existing #$ConceptualWork.
guid: bd621044-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$HumanActivity #$IBTGeneration #$PhysicalCreationEvent
direct generalization of:
#$MarkingOnASurface
#$MakingWrittenMaterial #$InformationRecordingProcess
#$iboCreated ibo created
The predicate #$iboCreated is used
to link a particular information bearing object (IBO) to the
event in which it is created. (#$iboCreated
CREATION IBO) means that the #$InformationBearingObject
IBO is created in the event CREATION. For example, my copy
of today's `Austin American-Statesman' morning paper was
created during the previous night's paper-publishing event.
guid: bd62daa1-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ActorSlot
direct specialization of:
#$ibtGenerated
#$outputsCreated
#$IBTGeneration-Original generations
of an original Information Bearing Thing
A specialization of #$IBTGeneration.
Each instance of #$IBTGeneration-Original
is an event in which some instance of #$InformationBearingThing
(hereafter IBT) is generated, where the content of the IBT
generated is not a copy of the content of any previously
created IBT.
guid: bd58f6af-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$HumanActivity #$IBTGeneration #$CreatingAnArtifact
#$IBTGeneration-Replication events
in which an Information Bearing Thing is replicated
A specialization of #$IBTGeneration.
Each instance of #$IBTGeneration-Replication
is an event in which a new instance of #$InformationBearingThing
(IBT) is created whose content is based on that of a
preexisting IBT (which is the #$informationOrigin
(q.v.) of the generation event). The new IBT contains at
least part of the information content of the original IBT.
It may use the same or a different way of encoding the information.
guid: bd5ea94c-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IBTGeneration
direct generalization of:
#$IBTCopying #$IBTRecoding
#$IBTRecoding events
in which an Information Bearing Thing is recoded
A specialization of #$IBTGeneration-Replication.
Each instance of #$IBTRecoding is an
event which generates a new information-bearing thing (i.e.,
an instance of #$InformationBearingThing)
by taking information from a source information-bearing
thing (see #$informationOrigin),
encoding it a new way, and incorporating it into a new
information-bearing thing (see #$ibtGenerated).
Instances of #$IBTRecoding may
be done either by agents (e.g., people) or by non-agents
(e.g., record players, or computers running translation
software). Recoding the content of a pre-existing
information-bearing thing presupposes some instance of
accessing it (i.e., of #$AccessingAnIBT).
guid: bd5f36bb-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IBTGeneration-Replication
direct generalization of: #$Decoding #$Encoding
#$IBTCopying events
in which an Information Bearing Thing is copied
A specialization of #$IBTGeneration-Replication.
Each instance of #$IBTCopying is an
event which generates some new instance or instances of #$InformationBearingThing
by copying the information and format from a source #$InformationBearingThing
(see #$informationOrigin).
The new instance(s) of #$InformationBearingThing
encode(s) approximately the same information in
approximately the same way as the source #$InformationBearingThing.
Specializations of #$IBTCopying include
#$CopyingAComputerFile and #$PhotocopyingADocument.
guid: bd6606e6-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IBTGeneration-Replication
#$InformationUpdating information updating
A specialization of
#$InformationTransferPhysicalEvent. Each instance of #$InformationUpdating
is an event in which the information content of an
information bearing object (see the collection #$InformationBearingObject)
is altered, either by removing or by adding information.
Important specializations of #$InformationUpdating
are #$InformationRemoving
and #$InformationAdding.
guid: bd616cc0-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of: #$InformationTransferPhysicalEvent
direct generalization of:
#$InformationRemoving
#$InformationAdding
#$InformationAdding information adding
A specialization of #$InformationUpdating.
Each instance of #$InformationAdding
is an event in which information is added to the information
content of an instance of #$InformationBearingObject
(q.v.). After the action, the instance of #$InformationBearingObject
(which is related to the action by
#$informationDestination)`has' the new information. The
resulting information content of that instance of #$InformationBearingObject
includes both its content immediately prior to the addition,
plus the newly added information. Examples of #$InformationAdding:
recording a check in the check register of one's checkbook;
taking the next photograph on a roll of film; adding new
information to a database.
guid: bd5e23fb-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationUpdating
#$InformationRemoving deleting
(carrying information)
A specialization of #$InformationUpdating.
Each instance of #$InformationRemoving
is an event in which information is removed from some
information-bearing object (see the collection #$InformationBearingObject),
so that after the event the remaining information content of
the information-bearing object is only a proper part of what
it started out to be. Notable specializations of #$InformationRemoving
include #$DeletingAFile and #$EliminatingAComputerVirus.
guid: bd642fa3-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationUpdating
#$infoAdded info added
(#$infoAdded CHANGE
INFO) means that in the #$InformationUpdating
action, CHANGE, INFO was added to the IBO (#$InformationBearingObject)
acted on.
guid: bd5b03bc-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of:
#$infoTransferred
#$infoRemoved info removed
(#$infoRemoved
CHANGE INFO) means that in the #$InformationUpdating
action, CHANGE, INFO was removed from the IBO (#$InformationBearingObject)
acted on.
guid: bd62ead9-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryRolePredicate
direct specialization of:
#$infoTransferred
#$Reading reads (perceptions)
The collection of acts of reading #$TextualMaterial.
These may be for extracting some sort of information from
the text, for entertainment, to impart the content of the
text to others (if #$ReadingAloud), or to test reading
skills. A person can read visually [#$Reading-Visual] or by
touch [#$Reading-Tactile] (e.g. reading Braille).
guid: bd58d532-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$HumanCapabilityType
direct specialization of:
#$Perceiving-Voluntary #$AccessingAnIBT #$LearnedActivity
#$ListeningDeliberately listening
The collection of events in which an #$Agent deliberately
facilitates and does #$Hearing.
guid: bd58c048-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$Perceiving-Voluntary #$AccessingAnIBT #$Hearing
#$WatchingSomething watching events
A collection of events involving the deliberate
direction of #$VisualPerception
on the part of an #$Agent.
guid: c0ed09e7-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of: #$Observing #$Perceiving-Voluntary #$VisualPerception
#$Learning learning events
The collection of all events, brief or extended, in
which an agent is acquiring information or know-how.
guid: bd58ef72-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalStuffType
#$MammalCapabilityType
direct specialization of:
#$AtLeastPartiallyMentalEvent #$ImprovementEvent
#$Writing writings
(creation events)
The collection of actions in which text is
produced, either via writing by hand, with a typewriter,
with a computer, etc. Could be a single episode of writing,
or a discontinuous set of episodes (as when one writes a
letter over a few days). #$Writing is not a #$Communicating,
because there is not necessarily a successful transfer of
information to some other agent. Of course, instances of #$Writing can be #$subEvents of such transfers.
guid: bd58cbbe-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
direct specialization of:
#$SkilledActivity #$VisualInformationConveyingAct #$MakingWrittenMaterial
direct generalization of:
#$WritingByHand
#$VisualInformationConveyingAct visual
information conveying act
The collection of actions that express (transmit)
visual information.
guid: bd58f666-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$IBTGeneration
direct generalization of:
#$MakingAGesture
#$Writing
#$MakingAGesture gesturing
The collection of acts of #$IBOCreation done
by an #$Animal
(including #$Person) arranging
its limbs or other body parts (and whatever objects the
limbs might be holding) in some meaningful configuration
(static or dynamic). Vocal #$IBTGenerations
are not considered to be gestures (see #$MakingAnOralSound
for this), but they might be done in conjunction with
gestures. NB: #$MakingAGesture
is NOT a subcollection of #$NonVerbalCommunicating;
at most, an instance of #$MakingAGesture
is only half of a communication event. And someone can make
a gesture while alone, without using it for communication.
Thus, only some gestures are #$subEvents of #$NonVerbalCommunicating.
(But note that #$MakingAGesture
IS a subcollection of #$IBTGeneration-Original
(q.v.), since every gesture encodes information, whether or
not it is used for communication in a particular instance.)
guid: bd58f623-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$VisualInformationConveyingAct #$VoluntaryBodyMovement
#$MakingFacialExpression making
facial expression
The collection of events during which the
configuration of an agent's face changes. This is usually
associated with the expression of some emotion.
guid: bd58c58d-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$ControllableAutonomousActionType #$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$BodyMovementEvent
#$Speaking speech
(carrying information)
The collection of actions generating #$Utterances which
are speech. A subcollection of #$Talking. Hence, #$Speaking normally
includes only those #$Utterances using #$Language as a
communication convention, unlike other #$Utterances such as
#$Booing and #$Cheering.
guid: bd58bf82-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$HumanCapabilityType #$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$MakingAnOralSound #$Talking
#$Encrypting encrypting events
The collection of actions in which some
transformation is applied to an IBT (#$InformationBearingThing)
which renders it unaccessible to all but the intended
audience, since the method required to decrypt the IBT is secret.
guid: bd60996f-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of: #$Encoding
#$Decrypting decryptions
The collection of actions in which an encrypted IBO
(#$InformationBearingObject)
is transformed so that it can be accessed.
guid: bd659b49-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of: #$Decoding
#$Inform-CommunicationAct acts
of conveying information
A specialization of both #$PurposefulAction
and #$CommunicationAct-Single.
Each instance of #$Inform-CommunicationAct
is a communication act in which an agent intentionally
conveys some piece of information.
guid: bd589e02-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$InformationBearingThing #$CommunicationAct-Single #$PurposefulAction
direct generalization of:
#$Disapproval-CommunicationAct
#$Requesting-CommunicationAct requests
A specialization of #$CommunicationAct-Single.
Each instance of #$Requesting-CommunicationAct
is a communication act in which one agent requests something
of one or more other agents. Requests are typically followed
by a response.
guid: bd58eaca-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
direct specialization of:
#$PurposefulAction #$CommunicationAct-Single
direct generalization of:
#$RequestingInformation
#$Ordering-CommunicationAct
#$RequestingInformation inquiries
A specialization of #$Requesting-CommunicationAct.
In each instance of #$RequestingInformation,
an agent asks a question or requests some information. See
also the #$IllocutionaryForce
associated with this action, #$Query.
guid: bd58adc2-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$Requesting-CommunicationAct
#$Acknowledging-CommunicationAct acknowledgments
The collection of actions which are #$performedBy one
#$Agent to convey
information about the receipt of a prior #$CommunicationAct-Single
which was #$performedBy
another #$Agent. An
example: Judy saying `No' in response to Jane's prior act of
saying `Will you clean the toaster.'
guid: bd590c41-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
direct specialization of:
#$CommunicationAct-Single
#$Offering-CommunicationAct offers
(communication acts)
A specialization of #$CommunicationAct-Single.
Each instance of #$Offering-CommunicationAct
is a communication act in which somebody offers to do
something, furnish something, or make something the case.
See also the #$IllocutionaryForce
associated with these actions, #$Offer.
guid: bd58eb0b-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$TemporalObjectType
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
direct specialization of:
#$CommunicationAct-Single
#$Ordering-CommunicationAct orders
(communication acts)
A collection of actions, many of which are speech
acts. In each instance of this collection, somebody orders
somebody to do something. See also the #$IllocutionaryForce
associated with this action, #$Command.
guid: bd58a938-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalObjectType
direct specialization of:
#$HumanActivity #$Requesting-CommunicationAct
#$acknowledgementOf acknowledgement of
(#$acknowledgementOf
ACT PIT) means that ACT is an acknowledging act to signify
receipt of the abstract information PIT that is being
acknowledged and to indicate a response. The ACT may be an
#$Accepting-CommunicationAct or a
#$Rejecting-CommunicationAct, or several others. Some may be
combinations, e.g. David may accept part of #$Wanda's order
(say the part about cleaning the kitchen) but not the other
part (say cleaning the bathroom). See also #$acknowledgedAct
which relates the two acts directly.
guid: bd5905b9-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryPredicate
#$acknowledgedAct acknowledged act
(#$acknowledgedAct
ACKACT COMACT) means that the #$CommunicationAct-Single
COMACT is acknowledged and replied-to by the responsive #$Acknowledging-CommunicationAct
ACKACT. Particular acceptances or rejections of a particular
project proposal would involve examples of this predicate,
as would a person responding to a wedding invitation, or a
court responding to a motion. See also #$acknowledgementOf
which refers to the abstract content of the communication.
guid: bd58dd20-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AntiTransitiveBinaryPredicate
#$AsymmetricBinaryPredicate
direct specialization of:
#$startsAfterEndingOf
#$EmittingSound sound emissions
A specialization of #$EmittingAWave.
Each instance of #$EmittingSound
is an event in which some instance of #$Sound is emitted from
some wave source (see the predicate #$waveSource). Examples
of #$EmittingSound
include an explosion generating a sound wave, a plucked
violin string resonating, a baby crying, and a person saying `Hello'.
guid: bd589e37-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$EmittingAWave
direct generalization of:
#$MakingAnOralSound
#$MakingAnOralSound verbalizing (moving)
The collection of actions in which the lips and
other mouth parts are used to make sound. #$MakingAnOralSound
means the event in which sound is produced more-or-less
voluntarily, using the mouth, mouth portal, lips, and
tongue.--Kean, July 11, 1997
guid: bd589df6-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
direct specialization of:
#$BodyMovementEvent #$EmittingSound
direct generalization of:
#$Speaking
#$Singing singing
The collection of acts of producing #$Music sounds with the
human vocal cords.
guid: bd58d4ae-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$DefaultDisjointScriptType
#$TemporalStuffType
direct specialization of:
#$MakingAnOralSound
#$containsInformation contains information
(#$containsInformation
IBT INFO) means that INFO is part of the information content
of the #$InformationBearingThing, IBT.
guid: bd58c240-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$NonPhysicalPartPredicate
direct specialization of: #$intangibleParts
#$containsInformationAbout concerning
(#$containsInformationAbout
Is THING) means that the #$InformationStore IS is generally
'about' THING -- which may be any #$Thing at all.
This is a very general notion of aboutness, which does not
require that THING be explicitly named in IS, nor that it be
the main topic.
guid: bd58a9fe-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryPredicate
direct specialization of: #$topicOfIndividual
#$propositionalInfoAbout propositional
info about
(#$propositionalInfoAbout
AIT THING) means that the #$AbstractInformationalThing
AIT is or contains propositional information about THING.
For instance, AIT might be a #$Microtheory
with assertions concerning THING or a #$TextualPCW
containing information about THING. This relation
constitutes a kind of intentionality in the philosophers'
sense (see e.g. #$IntentionalMentalSituation), though some
would argue that it is only an indirect or derived sort of
intentionality in that it always presupposes an underlying
intention on the part of some agent(s). Although the notion
of a written text or other sort of conceptual work being
(propositionally) about something is a completely familiar
one -- it is regularly appealed to in everyday discourse as
well as in academic studies pertaining to meaning or
interpretation -- giving a precise analysis of the notion
(in the form of necessary and sufficient conditions, e.g.)
is a notoriously difficult task, shot-through with
controversy. Still, a couple of non-contentious points can
be made in this direction. First, it is clear that the
information in question must be sufficiently specific to the
thing it is about . That is, in order for AIT to contain
propositional information about THING it is _not_ sufficient
that AIT merely involve general information about the
elements of some collection (or set or class) to which THING
belongs, but must involve some way of singling-out THING,
e.g. by mentioning THING by name or containing a description
that uniquely applies to THING. For example, the sentence
`Dogs are carnivores' is too general to be about Lassie
(though it _is_ arguably about the collections #$Dog and #$Carnivore);
`Television's best-loved canine was a collie', on the other
hand, is certainly about her. Second, since the information
must be _propositional_ (see e.g. #$Proposition), it is also
_not_ sufficient that AIT merely contain a term or symbol
that specifies or denotes or represents THING; AIT must say
something about THING. Thus, a mere unannotated list of the
names of famous show-biz animals would _not_ be
propositionally about Lassie, even though her name would
undoubtedly appear on it. Finally, note that #$propositionalInfoAbout
does _not_ insist that THING is what AIT is _mainly_ or
_focally_ about; thus the selfsame AIT might easily be about
several (even many) different things at the same time.
guid: bd590a60-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$IntangibleObjectPredicate
#$BinaryPredicate
direct specialization of: #$topicOfIndividual
#$ist-Information ist
- information
An instance of #$MicrotheoryDesignatingPredicate
(q.v.) and a specialization of #$ist (q.v.). (#$ist-Information
PIT SENT) means that the #$Proposition (q.v.) expressed by
SENT is part of the explicitly-stated (as opposed to the
merely inferred) informational content of the #$PropositionalInformationThing
PIT. This does _not_ entail that SENT itself is asserted
either in PIT (cf. #$ist-Asserted) or in some more general
microtheory PIT-GENL whose content PIT inherits (via the
inverse of #$genlMt); but it
does entail that either (i) a sentence SENT-PRIME that has
the same informational content (i.e. expresses the same
proposition) as SENT is asserted in PIT or in some PIT-GENL
or (ii) SENT is a conjunction each conjunct CONJi of which
is such that there is some sentence with the same
informational content as CONJi asserted either in PIT or in
some PIT-GENL.
guid: bd58d1ce-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$MicrotheoryDesignatingPredicate
#$MicrotheoryPredicate
#$BinaryPredicate
direct specialization of:
#$ist
#$informStatement inform statement
(#$informStatement
MT PROP) means that the #$ELSentence-Assertible
PROP is true in the information context MT. Note that (#$informStatement
MT PROP) implies that (#$ist MT PROP).
guid: bd5c2cd8-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$MicrotheoryDesignatingPredicate
#$MicrotheoryPredicate
#$BinaryPredicate
direct specialization of:
#$ist-Information
#$visuallyDepicts visually depicts
(#$visuallyDepicts
IBT OBJ) means the object OBJ is depicted by the visual
information source IBT.
guid: c1006396-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryPredicate
direct specialization of:
#$containsInformationAbout
#$mtImageDepicts mt
image depicts
The predicate #$mtImageDepicts
is used to determine things represented in images, on the
basis of the information content of the image. For this
purpose, the content of an image is represented as an
abstract, propositional thing--an element of #$ImageMicrotheory
(which is a subset of #$PropositionalInformationThing
(q.v.)). (#$mtImageDepicts
IMT OBJ) means that the image(s) which have the information
content IMT depict the object OBJ. Those images may be still
or moving images. IMT is an element of #$ImageMicrotheory.
OBJ is an element of #$SpatialThing,
which includes both tangible objects and physical events.
One usage of #$mtImageDepicts
is for the description and representation of particular
images; e.g., an image with the content `Roy Rogers is
riding Trigger' depicts Roy Rogers and depicts Trigger.
Another usage of #$mtImageDepicts
is in inference rules about the content of images. For
example, using a series of common sense inferences, we
conclude that an image with the content `a cowboy [is] on
his horse' probably also depicts some instance of #$OutdoorLocation.
guid: c10054e2-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$BinaryPredicate #$MicrotheoryPredicate
direct specialization of:
#$propositionalInfoAbout
#$symbolizes symbolizes
(#$symbolizes SYMBOL
OBJ) means that the #$SymbolicObject
SYMBOL represents the thing OBJ for some abstract agent.
E.g., the US flag #$symbolizes the
USA. It is usually true that (#$symbolizes x y)
implies (#$connotes
x y #$High). Note that the 'abstract agent' may be
context-specific -- a given object may represent one thing
in one culture, and nothing at all or a different thing in
another culture.
guid: bd58cfa9-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$AsymmetricBinaryPredicate
direct specialization of: #$topicOfIndividual
#$connotes connoting
(#$connotes OBJ-1
OBJ-2 DEGREE) means that as a consequence of perceiving or
thinking about one thing (OBJ-1), a typical sane intelligent
perceiving agent would likely think of another thing (OBJ-2)
with a strength of association indicated by DEGREE. E.g., (#$connotes
#$GermanNaziParty #$Prejudice #$High). This predicate is
sometimes symmetric, but often not. See also #$typeConnotes.
guid: bd5db15f-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$TernaryPredicate
#$PITOfIBTFn p i t
of i b t fn
An instance of both #$IndividualDenotingFunction
and #$ReifiableFunction.
Given as its argument a particular instance of #$InformationBearingThing
(q.v.), #$PITOfIBTFn returns
the information content of that thing. The object returned
is an instance of #$PropositionalInformationThing
(q.v.). Thus, (#$PITOfIBTFn IBT)
is the abstract, propositional chunk of information that is
represented in IBT. For example: if IBT is a particular
printed copy of Psalm 23, then (#$PITOfIBTFn
MyCopyOfPsalm23) is the propositional content of Psalm 23.
guid: bd6852b7-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$UnaryFunction #$ReifiableFunction
#$IndividualDenotingFunction
#$Individual
#$toneOfInformationThing tone
of information thing
The predicate #$toneOfInformationThing
is used to characterize the evaluation made or implied by a
particular assertion about something. (#$toneOfInformationThing
PROP THING TONE) means that the proposition expressed in the
#$ELSentence-Assertible
PROP explicitly or implicitly makes an evaluation of THING
that has the #$EvaluationToneAttribute
TONE. Some possible values of TONE are: #$PositiveTone, #$NegativeTone, #$NeutralTone. For
example, a Cyc formula stating that #$Socrates feels
#$Courage in the face of his execution can be said to be
positive in tone about #$Socrates. (Such a formula would
utilize #$feelsTowardsEvent.)
guid: bd58b2b6-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$TernaryPredicate
#$EvaluationToneAttribute evaluation
tone attribute
A collection of attribute values. Each element of
#$EvaluationToneAttribute
is an attribute used to specify the general tone of some
assertion, group of assertions, or presentation about some
topic. Examples of #$EvaluationToneAttribute:
#$PositiveTone, #$NegativeTone, #$NeutralTone.
guid: bd58e1a9-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of: #$LinearOrderAttributeType
direct specialization of:
#$ScalarInterval
#$NegativeTone negative tone
An element of #$EvaluationToneAttribute.
The attribute #$NegativeTone
represents the attitude implied by judgments which are
critical, derisive, disparaging, or insulting about their subjects.
guid: bd58e50c-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$OrderOfMagnitudeInterval
#$Individual
#$NeutralTone neutral tone
An element of #$EvaluationToneAttribute.
The attribute #$NeutralTone
represents the attitude implied by judgments which neither
seriously disparage nor seriously praise their subjects.
guid: bd58d65d-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$OrderOfMagnitudeInterval
#$Individual
#$PositiveTone praise
An element of #$EvaluationToneAttribute.
The attribute #$PositiveTone
represents the attitude implied by judgments which praise,
commend, celebrate, or applaud their subjects.
guid: bd58b2f7-9c29-11b1-9dad-c379636f7270
direct instance of:
#$OrderOfMagnitudeInterval
#$Individual
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