A Formal Approach to Ontological Pluralism in Knowledge Representation through Framework-Mediated Classification
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Abstract
Conceptual models often assume a hegemonic classificatory framework within which alternative ontological perspectives are interpreted as secondary or reduced to matters of belief, rather than recognized as legitimate ontological commitments. However, knowledge representation across different domains and traditions reveals that ontological disagreement may concern what counts as essential, affecting the very organization of categories and not merely different ways of description. This article explores the role of formal mechanisms of mediation between distinct ontologies in knowledge representation, inspired by the Indigenous Mi’kmaq principle of Two-Eyed Seeing, which advocates the coexistence of diverse knowledge systems. It aims to develop a formal mechanism for representing ontological pluralism, avoiding both the reduction of categorical differences and the unnecessary multiplication of entities. We argue that the referential identity of individuals can be preserved while different ontological architectures organize these entities according to their own principles. Through a case study contrasting a scientific botanical ontology of cassava with an Ashaninka cosmological ontology, the divergence is shown to be structural. As result, a Framework-mediated classification is proposed as a formal mechanism for representing such pluralism without implying that each ontology refers to a distinct entity. Finally, implications for RDF, Linked Open Data, and Wikidata are discussed.
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