SBVR 1.0b2 FTF Avatar
  1. OMG Issue

SBVR — "Definition of Category"

  • Key: SBVR-111
  • Legacy Issue Number: 11153
  • Status: closed  
  • Source: Thematix Partners LLC ( Mr. Edward J. Barkmeyer)
  • Summary:

    In clause 11.1.2, the term 'category' is defined as:
    'concept in a generic relation having the broader intension'
    Similarly, the term 'more general concept' is defined as:
    'concept in a generic relation having the narrower intension'

    I don't know, and the text doesn't say, what a 'generic relation' may be. One might conclude that it means "any instance of the concept 'relation'", but SBVR doesn't define the concept 'relation', either.
    Assuming the 'relation' is an undocumented synonym for 'fact type', the only "relation" that involves these terms jointly is
    'concept1 has more general concept2'
    Synonymous Form: 'concept2 has category'

    (1) It appears that both of these are synonymous forms for 'concept1 specializes concept2', which is defined in clause 8.1.1. These could easily have been defined to be roles in that fact type, e.g.:
    category specializes more general concept
    This would make it clear that the relationship is 'specializes' and not some undefined 'generic relation'.

    (2) The terms 'broader intension' and 'narrower intension' appear to be assigned to the wrong concepts. Does a 'broader intension' mean
    "an intension that applies to more things"
    or
    "an intension that involves more characteristics"?
    For the existing text to be correct, the meaning must be the latter – the 'category' applies to fewer things, so its 'broader intension' must mean that it involves more characteristics. This usage is counterintuitive – people think of "more general concepts" being "broader concepts".

    Recommended action:

    These two definitions should be rewritten to
    (a) specify that the 'generic relation' is the "specializes" relationship, preferably by defining the roles as part of the definition of that relationship, in clause 8.1.1,
    and
    (b) discard "broader intension" and "narrower intension" in favor of wording that says specifically that it is about more "things" or more "characteristics".

  • Reported: SBVR 1.0b1 — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:00 GMT
  • Disposition: Resolved — SBVR 1.0b2
  • Disposition Summary:

    Regarding (a): no change.
    Regarding (b): add a note to "category" explaining the intended meaning of "broader intension" as "an intension that applies to more things". Add a similar note to "more general concept" explaining "narrower intension".

  • Updated: Fri, 6 Mar 2015 22:56 GMT