An evolutionary approach to Function.

Journal of Biomedical Semantics
Phillip Lord

Abstract

Understanding the distinction between function and role is vexing and difficult. While it appears to be useful, in practice this distinction is hard to apply, particularly within biology. I take an evolutionary approach, considering a series of examples, to develop and generate definitions for these concepts. I test them in practice against the Ontology for Biomedical Investigations (OBI). Finally, I give an axiomatisation and discuss methods for applying these definitions in practice. The definitions in this paper are applicable, formalizing current practice. As such, they make a significant contribution to the use of these concepts within biomedical ontologies.

References

Oct 8, 2003·Systematic and Applied Microbiology·Ramon Rosselló-Mora
Dec 19, 2003·Nucleic Acids Research·Naomi SiewDaniel Fischer

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Citations

Jul 16, 2010·Journal of Biomedical Semantics·Larisa N SoldatovaNigam H Shah
Jul 11, 2014·Journal of Biomedical Semantics·Johannes Röhl, Ludger Jansen

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