Ontology

 

One of the most significant factors concerning ontology is that it involves the study of the nature of reality, and its categories. It is a philosophical concept that seeks to determine those entities that exist, and how these entities can be categorized or grouped. A consequence of this grouping is that it brings about a situation where they are placed within a hierarchy of beings, which can be studied in such a way that determined their similarities and differences. A consequence is that entities that are believed to exist are placed under examination to such an extent that they come to be defined based on their nature. This is an important aspect of ontology because it shows it as an essential means of providing meaning to those definitions of reality that involve things. In this paper, there will be an attempt to examine ontology based on a social perspective, arguments against it, and how it has formed a symbiotic relationship with other disciplines.

A definition of ontological arguments is that they involve a situation where they make assumptions concerning the social reality. This is especially the case where it defines claims of what exists, how these entities look like, and how they interact with one another. In essence, ontology is an attempt by philosophers to better understand what human beings believe is essential aspects of their social reality (Schaffer, 2015). An advantage of ontology is that it can be applied in such a way that makes it possible for both an objective and subjective approach to be applied to a situation. This ensures that there is the advancement of definitions of a diversity of beliefs without having to determine them in the same way. Instead, social phenomena can be analyzed in as thorough a manner as possible based on the current need. Therefore, an objective approach is one that defines social phenomena and what they mean in a manner that creates a level of independence from social factors that would otherwise have made it difficult to achieve a definition. The subjective approach to ontology, on the other hand, seeks to show that social phenomena and their meanings come about because of the actions of social actors, who essentially ensure that they provide the meanings that make these phenomena essential aspects of their lives. In this way, objectivity and subjectivity are essential to ontology because they help in the achievement of a better understanding of social phenomena based on different contexts.

Despite the arguments that have been made above concerning the importance of ontology as a means of interpreting social phenomena, there are a number of objections to it that have been proposed. Among these arguments is that existence is not a predicate, essentially suggesting that the belief in existence does not necessarily translate to reality. In addition, there is the argument that the existence of such a being as god is one that is essentially meaningless and incoherent and despite the best ontological arguments cannot be proven. There is also the assumption that ontological arguments are essentially answers that are yet to be proven, meaning that they set out observations or presuppositions before they are proven to actually exist (Proops, 2015). These arguments, however, fail to consider the validity of the ontological approach as an essential means of making sure that there is a better understanding of reality. This is especially considering that they all seek to advance the belief that ontology is obsolete based on the assumption that it is not scientific. They are a means of seeking to destroy the reputation of ontology without providing the evidence that the arguments being made are actually not based on reality. By attempting to beat up ontological arguments of social phenomena, the objections seem to fail to provide proper arguments that can be accepted with good conscience. Therefore, the objections can be considered to be faulty in their assumptions because they take on a hostile approach to ontology without coming up with feasible arguments to counter the claims made by this concept.

One of the most important aspects of ontology is that it has been able to form a symbiotic relationship with other disciplines. This is the case where this approach is one that varies according to the extent to which the individual applying it wishes to place a reliance on other disciplines. The nature of the disciplines that one wishes to rely on is also important because it determines the direction towards which the ontological arguments that are intended to be made will head. Among the most important ontological methods that are applied is the logical or linguistic method, which essentially places a reliance on theories of meaning (Howarth, 2013). A consequence of this approach is that it brings about an understanding of the manner through which entities that exists are determined and defined. It can be applied to either natural languages or to artificial logical languages in an attempt to determine the kinds of entities that exist. Consequently, the discipline that is adopted as a means of supporting an ontological assumption has the ability of making sure that it points the direction towards which the arguments for it will head. This can be considered an advantage because it allows for the achievement of a level of diversity when it comes to the development of assumptions, and this is in such a way that makes the connection between ontology and different disciplines more feasible.

In conclusion, the ontological approach to the definition of entities that are an essential part of social phenomena is important in the achievement of their understanding. The above discussion, which has sought to bring about an understanding of ontology based on a social perspective, arguments against it, and how it has formed a symbiotic relationship with other disciplines, is essential in showing how this approach is quite effective. This is especially the case considering that the above arguments have brought about a situation where ontology can be considered a most feasible means of understanding social phenomena without the restrictions placed by assumptions based on science.