Authors: Gove N. Allen, Salvatore T. March
Tags: 2014, data models, database design, entity–relationship model, negative attributes, ontology, optional attributes, optional relationships, semantic data models, subtyping, systems theory
Many conceptual modeling grammars include constructs to represent optionality and negation. Optionality enables the direct expression of class heterogeneity through the inclusion of optional attributes (attributes for which only some class members have value) and optional relationships (those which are valid for only some class members). Negation is the use of attributes that express the absence of a characteristic, enabling the direct representation of attributes not possessed by class members. Recent empirical studies have hypothesized that the use of optionality and negative attributes would be detrimental to users’ ability to understand the domain semantics represented in a conceptual model. We present both ontological and cognitive reasons for conjecturing that optionality and negation are foundational to human reasoning and communication, and thus to conceptual modeling.
Cite as:
Allen G.N. and March S. T. (2014). “Haves and have nots: An Ontological Examination of Negative Classification,” in AIS SIGSAND, Saint Louis, MO, United States, May 31 – June 1, 2014.
