What is ontology? Introduction to the word and the concept
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- In a philosophical context 0:28
Why ontology is important 1:08
Ontological materialism 1:34
Ontological idealism 1:59
In a non-philosophical context 2:24
Information systems 2:40
Social ontology 3:25
The word ontology comes from two Greek words: "Onto", which means existence, or being real, and "Logia", which means science, or study. The word is used both in a philosophical and non-philosophical context.
ONTOLOGY IN A PHILOSOPHICAL CONTEXT
In philosophy, ontology is the study of what exists, in general. Examples of philosophical, ontological questions are: What are the fundamental parts of the world? How they are related to each other? Are physical parts more real than immaterial concepts? For example, are physical objects such as shoes more real than the concept of walking? In terms of what exists, what is the relationship between shoes and walking?
Why is ontology important in philosophy?
Philosophers use the concept of ontology to discuss challenging questions to build theories and models, and to better understand the ontological status of the world.
Over time, two major branches of philosophical ontology has developed, namely: Ontological materialism, and ontological idealism.
Ontological materialism
From a philosophical perspective, ontological materialism is the belief that material things, such as particles, chemical processes, and energy, are more real, for example, than the human mind. The belief is that reality exists regardless of human observers.
Ontological idealism
Idealism is the belief that immaterial phenomenon, such as the human mind and consciousness, are more real, for example, than material things. The belief is that reality is constructed in the mind of the observer.
ONTOLOGY IN A NON-PHILOSOPHICAL CONTEXT
Outside philosophy, ontology is used in a different, more narrow meaning. Here, an ontology is the description of what exist specifically within a determined field. For example, every part that exists in a specific information system. This includes the relationship and hierarchy between these parts.
Unlike the philosophers, these researchers are not primarily interested in discussing if these things are the true essence, core of the system. Nor are they discussing if the parts within the system are more real compared to the processes that take place within the system. Rather, they are focused on naming parts and processes and grouping similar ones together into categories.
Outside philosophy, the word ontology is also use, for example, in social ontology. Here, the idea is to describe society and its different parts and processes. The purpose of this is to understand and describe the underlying structures that affect individuals and groups.
Suggested reading
You can read more about ontology in some of the many articles available online, for example:
www.streetartic...
Copyright
Text and video (including audio) © Kent Löfgren, Sweden
I've come across this term for more than seven years trying to distinguish this from epistemology but in all that time, your video is the simplest, most concrete explanation I have ever come across. Well done! Bra jobb och tack!
Hi! Glad you liked it. Personally, I cringe a bit ;-) Because I want to re-record it, with a bit of better pronunciations and a higher speed. Well, maybe I get around to that someday in a not too distant future. Meanwhile, I am of course very happy that viewers enjoy the current version.
@@kentlofgren jag erkänner att trots min doktorand, är det ett svårt begrepp att förstå.
Thanks. A Word I find used by many to make their statement more muddy rather more concise.
You. Have. Found. NOTHING
A lot better than my lecturer's explanation within our assignment, thank you!
This just might be the most well composed and concise brief introduction on ontology to have ever existed.
Same here 😂
Finally an explanation that I can understand, thank you so much for this video!
Best definition of Ontology so far that I have found.
wow- thanks for this much-needed video. There's a lot of talk and reading in universities that keeps referring to ontology, yet the basic definition eludes many!
Thank you, you provided the exact right amount of information.
Using ontology as an example in class today. You explained this perfectly.
WOOOO
Who agrees with this statement? Ontology helps to differentiate between real things, such as your hand in front of your face, and man-made constructs such as mathematics.
Somewhat. Although mathematics are, at the end of the day, a language, and thus could be called a human construct, it's still an artifice that points towards a reality. Just like there is no "law of gravity", there's the just the phenomena as it is. This phenomena does not depend on labels, names and explanation to exist. Much less being studied or not.
But the existence of varrying natural principles and logical sequences, as occurring in nature, represented by language, gives us that much more ability to make use and adjust to the phenomenal world, of which we are a part.
I'm begining to think that the old Western mind-matter dualism is rather odd! Suppose consciousness arose from matter, what does it experience? Matter. So, it's matter experiencing itself. Suppose consciousness is self-existent, but fabricated matter. So it's mind experiencing itself through matter. And what's attempting to divide the two? The material brain that thinks of itself as an abstract entity? Or an abstract entity (mind) that thinks itself to be material?
Although it may sound fun to call out how "heaviness" and "lightness" do not exist in themselves and are abstract names, thus implying the crumbling of our conceptual worldview we took for granted, a valid question stands: if hungry, which piece of bread would we prefer - the heaviest or the lightest? Isn't there still a difference?
Can the truth be put into words?
Yes, but the words are, of course, not it. They only point to it. Buddhists say “The finger pointing to the moon is not the moon.”
Disagree. Ontology reveals the inherent paradox within all phenomena that we cannot know what is “real vs unreal”. There is a necessary non-dual admission of all phenomena. If we want the simplest explanation, we cannot create arbitrary categories in attempt to conceptualize objects. Eastern philosophy points to the possibility that all things are interconnected and categorizations themselves are illusory notions of epistemological control. When you really examine ontology and the nuances internal contradictions, you begin to see that we really cannot know anything about reality. Because there is no “real and unreal”. If we can never measure the limits of real and know what’s outside it, do either exist?
Disagree
I think the idea is that there’s no way to prove (to the satisfaction of some philosophers) that material things aren’t also man-made constructs. Even if everyone agrees that a thing is real and material, it could still be the case that that’s just how humans in general perceive the thing. Since we’re limited, like we obviously can’t see ultraviolet for example, we can only ever perceive a version of something we call real but it always leaves something out and simplifies the actual total real thing, which will forever be incomplete for us.
So clear, concise and comprehensible. Thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you very much Kent, you've helped a newbie researcher
Thank you, Kent, for your time. I'm interested in trying my hand at discussing philosophical topics on youtube, so yours is a good reference. Thank you.
Your nickname
Tao Math
;)
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winks intensifies
a lot
;)
Yes! Finally! Finally! a video that actually answers my question about what is ontology in a philosophical context and non-philosophical context! I have looked at countless videos, papers, and chatgpt answers, but nothing is as clear as this video.
This was such a clear and concise explainantion. Thank you!
Absolutely invaluable resource. So clean, clear and concise. Thanks so much.
Glad it was helpful! If I'd remake it today, I'll speed things up, and use a better mic ;-)
Basically the science of being. It reveals philosophical parts of the world an how they are related to each other. Parallel to that it brings light to objects in the physical world and therefore provides a sense of how our world looks.
Many thanks for quite clear explanation
Ontology is also used in the anthropological field of cultural ecology, where it describes the perception of a society regarding their culture in comparison to the meaning of nature or the environment, so the hierarchy between the two. The naturalistic ontology in this case resembling the materialistic ontology, which is predominant in most western societies, assumes there is a dichotomy between culture and nature, because in this ontology we have created systems and structures that separate us from nature, we think of humans and their culture as something different with a clear distinction to what we define as "nature". Other societies and cultures, under the ontology of animism for instance, do not make a distinction between humans and nature, they see their culture as a part of and embedded into nature, there is no conceived separation between the two concepts, hence some groups with an ontology like this would not exploit nature for its resources as drastically as we do. To the concept of ontology also always comes the factor of objective truth, for example the naturalistic ontology denies many perceptions of sorcery and witchcraft any probable reality because they don't conform with science, while in other ontologies these ideas might have an actually experiencable truth to the people and actual functionality for society. In short our ontology is how we see ourselves in the world and what our position is. Every group or even individual has an ontology that they live after, even if it's not a conscious thought.
Thank you this helps me understand the ontological approach used in some nursing terminologies.
Wow...my understanding has improved a great deal more....thanks Kent... I'm ready now to tackle my PhD
Happy to help
I'm very impressed that I search ang found the general meaning of ontology, keep it up friend.
Wow, thank you!
@@kentlofgren friend i should be the one saying that thank you very much..
Awesome defonition and elaboration on the phenomenon
Thank you. This is brief and to the point
this video helped me understand a research paper, thank you!
Thank you very much. It helped me a lot for understanding the concept of ontology
Glad it helped!
More Philosophy videos like this pls! Thank you. Learned well.
Excellent indeed
Thank you. I swear that every popular definition of this concept is deliberately inscrutable and reductive.
Stort tack för denna övergripande förklaring till ontologi..!
very clear, appreciated
Excellent - thank you!
very informative
We know it, all of us, some maybe unconscious about it. It simplifies the concepts. Ontologies differ among human beings even within the same group.
Beautifully clear and practical...thankyou.
Thank you! This video was super helpful in defining ontology. My lecture mentioned the philosophical aspect but I found it confusing.
Good brief explanation
Glad you think so!
Thank you, sir.
Excellent video Kent! Understood it in a whiff ... Cheers.
Glad you enjoyed it
Just found this channel by chance. Wish I'd found it sooner, I already had a comprehension of these concepts but your presentation is so concise and elegant I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this. It was very helpful! ❤
A great a concise explanation. Thanks.
thank for your philosophical explanation of education
My pleasure.
Great one! thanks. with respects, Prakash
Elegantly explained, thank you
Thanks for the written words
Thanks for listening
Thanks for the upload. Perhaps providing some specific examples would provide more clarity
Really this is the best of the best
Thank you I enjoyed this - clear concise and a pleasure to listen to and read ..
Very good, thank you!
Great video, very informative!
thank you, good sir, your explanation was excellent.
I needed this, thank you.
You're so welcome!
@@kentlofgren it's a confusing topic
Awesome......very informative explanation 👍
Great video, and concise. Thank you!
Good straightforward info!
Awesome, thanks for the explanation
No worries!
Really clear. Thanks!
V nice
I found a AI poetry reference to ontological anarchism. So I came here to see if I can learn something. Looks like I need to research both words a bit more. This seems like a excellent primer.
Thanks very concise
thanks that was a clarifying explanation
Good video
Well said
Well done!
Thank you! Great video!
Sir what is the role of ontology in curriculum development? Please explain with some examples.
Very helpful, Thank you.
Thank you for this information :)
Good argument.
Thank you, sir!
Very clear explanation.
Glad you think so!
What is the difference between "ontology" and "epistemology"?
Ontology and epistemology are both considered philosophies because they both include the hypothesis forming stage of establishing theories.
Theories are established descriptions of what things, behaviors, and relationships exist, and what those exist as. Hypotheses are educated (sometimes) speculations and guesses about what things are and how we know that.
Ontology asks what exists and epistemology asks how we know knowledge is valid.
The difference is that ontology is about what things, behaviors, and relationships objectively do exist and exist as, and epistemology is about how humans can say that they can cross the subjective barrier and accurately know that things behaviors and relationships are what they are in an objective way.
The answer is utilizing empiricism and the scientific method.
Yes, that means that some things behaviors and relationships will always be delegated to the philosophical realm and never enter the empirical realm, for the reason that they are not so.
That is because some things exist as actual phenomena and some things only exist inside a human head between their ears as an idea.
Thanks sir
So nice of you, all the best!
thankyou so much for this video ..❤
Nice.
Thank You!!
Great explanation ❤️
Thank you. Very helpful.
I'm always glad to hear that my lectures are appreciated. However, this one is quite old (and slow). I think I need to make a more modern one ;-)
Great.
Good Job Sir , its really Helpful !
great video
thank you.
You're most welcome
Thank you!
Hi Kent,
Where can I find an Ontology of meanings? ... a list of categories of the ways distinctions can relate to each other.
What's the difference between "real" & "more real"? Why do you use the term "more real"? "Shoes" is a noun, & "Walking" is a verb; so they both are real, but they belong to separate parts of speech. Right? Thanks.
Michael's ML&ATG has to do with modality and epistemic possibility
can you give two examples each of realist, idealist and materialist ontological premises about the social reality.
Realist ontological premises about social reality are assumptions that social entities and phenomena have an objective, mind-independent existence. Idealist ontological ditto refers to social entities and phenomena dependent on human perceptions and ideas (hence the name "idealism"). And finally, materialist ditto refers to the assumptions that social entities and phenomena can be explained by or reduced to material or physical entities, processes, or conditions. This perspective emphasizes the role of material factors in shaping social reality and guiding the development of human societies. There is some overlap between realists and materialists, but realism is broader, whereas materialism says everything depends on material entities. I hope that helps you.
to understand ontology and epistomology require very very simple examples of day to day life.
thank you
Thanks bro .....very sweet voice
Such a great explanation. Do you any references of what you have shared in your video? I would love use it for my assignment
I just believe that everything is equally real.
an atom is as real as the concept of an atom, or the movement of an atom, or the concept of the movement of an atom? what differentiates the concept of something and that something? if something is not tangible can it really be claimed to be as real as something else? maybe, maybe not. it's more complex than simple I think.
What does it even mean for something to be more real than something else? Objective and Subjective existence are both real - it is just that subjective existences are separate and hence more real to their own experiencers - which is kind of implied in the terms of the concept of subjectivity by definition, anyway.
nice man
From an ontological philosophical standpoint, could you say that God is real whether religion is correct or not?
I don't think we ever can confirm that there isn't some larger, metaphysical being behind our experience of reality. But the question is; is it a reasonable justified belief to say that such a deity exists?
...and one part of epistemology is to examine what the criteria is for labeling something as a justified true belief
That would depend entirely upon what you mean by a 'being'. Ontological Materialism would imply that our sense of 'being', our consciousness, is simply a product of the material brain, and evolved to serve the functions of our survival as a multicellular organism fighting for survival in the game of evolution. If there is any great objective 'being', the nature of its 'being' or 'consciousness' would be entirely different from that limited scope of consciousness which we humans possess, such that it would be entirely unrecognisable to our own concept of 'being'. For example, it would not have any need for sensory apparatus, and so would not see, hear, speak. There would be no way we could communicate with it, because we are limited to our senses and to our mind. It would be of an entirely different nature to anything we are familiar with or could comprehend.
PepsiBeastin
Yes there is evidence to support the existence of the uncaused cause of the Universe (time, matter and space).
And our ability to reason that a communication must have taken place between us humans and the uncreated Creator is itself a proof that he must have communicated to us.
The question remains regarding the epistemological frame work we adopt for interpreting reality (of our existence).
No, you are entirely wrong +AbdulQader Mustafa. Saying there is evidence isn't evidence. I say you are wrong. Prove an uncreated creator, Why must a communication have taken place between people and some imagined uncreated creator? Jesus, pal, eat some bacon. You have no evidence for any of it. Prove it.
Thanku
Hello Kent, Your brief but important message is very helpful. I'm a non academic social change practitioner, designing a framework of social transformation initiative in a emergency socio political situation. It would be a great contribution if you could provide me reference link or sample frameworks on social ontology.
Ty bro
Why do ontological materialists believe that human consciousness is less real than the material world? Seems like one is making a mind-body distinction with that point of view.
g00gIeruinedYT no, it’s the exact opposite. Ontological materialism refutes the distinction between an agency (the mind)- that is separate from the real physical processes- and the physical world or that which is reducible and observable. I’m well aware that I asserted that the physical phenomenon is real, let me explain: ontological idealism wants to impose notions (like purpose or essence) that are only real in the realm of human experience (which is made of and influenced by physical components) onto the physical phenomenon, did you get the fallacy here? All the Why, What and how questions boil up to an attempt of understanding fundamental natural processes and how things functions, that’s what science is all about, refining our understanding of everything, the word fundamental law or process is just a conventional term in the field of study and does not assert the truth in the philosophical sense.
Hank MMXVIII this is a self contradiction in and of itself
Materialists depend on tangible sensory perception - things that they can see ,touch ,feel ,etc. The fact of the existence of something is decided by its tangible presence that is the same to everyone. For instance , I see a red car and the fact that it is red is corroborated by any onlooker. But the mind is intangible , it creates perceptions that can't be seen on the outside.
I think I get what ontology is but I'm still not clear on why anyone would discuss it.
Well, putting all other things aside, I would guess that an average professor earns around 60k USD per year :-) That could be a strong motivational factor for digging into these matters.
Seriously though, I think it's partly human nature: some people really enjoy thinking about abstract things and discussing questions like "what is truth?".