Ontology (Science)

Smith, B. Nature Preceedings, July 2008

Ontologies such as the Gene Ontology are in different respects comparable to scientific theories, to scientific databases, and to scientific journal publications. Such a view implies a new conception of what is involved in the authoring, maintenance and application of ontologies in scientific contexts, and therewith also a new approach to the evaluation of ontologies and to the training of ontologists.