Problems in Ontology
PHI 531 Seminar: Problems in Ontology
Up to 4 Credit Hours
Principal faculty: Barry Smith
Mondays, 4-6pm, Fall 2012, Park 141, UB North Campus
Content
This class will consist of a mixture of:
- presentations by ontologists from UB and elsewhere;
- ontology development and planning sessions;
- teaching on specific ontology topics (for a sample see here);
- video presentations (for example from here).
We will cover a variety of topics in theoretical and applied ontology, paying special attention to applications in the areas of biology and medicine on the one hand, and defense and security on the other.
Outcomes
By the end of the class students will be able to:
- understand the nature, utility and scope of contemporary applied ontology
- understand methods and rules for ontology development and evaluation
- contribute to ontological development initiatives
- engage in discussion of major issues in theoretical and applied ontology
Schedule
Opening session: August 27, 2012
- We will begin with an overview of the course, and provide a basic introduction to ontology by answering questions such as:
- What is an ontology?
- How are ontologies used?
- The remainder of this class will be devoted to the question: What is a musical score?
Future sessions will include:
- September 10: Presentation by Werner Ceusters (Bioinformatics/Psychiatry)
- September 17: Rosh Hashanah (no class)
- TBD Presentation by Ron Rudnicki (CUBRC) on ontology and time
- TBD Presentation by Bill Mandrick (US Army) on military ontology
All sessions will be accessible both for face-to-face participants and on-line.
Grading Requirements for this class will depend on the selected number of credit hours, but will include active class participation and completion of some written work or ontology project.
Literature
Introductory readings are provided here.
See also the Buffalo Ontology Site.
