Dear all,
I am currently in the process of defining an ontology for early modern ordinances. And I have run into a couple of questions...
So far I have the idea that a formal legal act (subclass of E65_Creation) or some other legally relevant E7_Activity (as a custom) can P94_create a couple of things:
- a legal provision (E89_Propositional_Object)
- a legal role or function (E55_Type)
- a E30_Right
- a jurisdictional domain, i.e. something that a legal provision applies to (E28_Conceptual_Object)
a) So far, so good. But normally I'd say, a legal act can constitute a E40_Legal_Body, too. However, this is a subclass of E39_Actor, which seems not to be capable of being P_94_created. Would you say this is a case of creation of E55_Type which then needs to be assigned via an E17_Type_Assignment to a regular E39_Actor?
b) Would you say a jurisdictional domain (examples I had in mind included a state, a diocesis or a university) is rather a E40_Legal_Body than a E28_Conceptual_Object?
c) The legal activity can not only create a domain, but it can also modify it (secession, incorporation of another domain etc.). But E11_Modification applies to physical things only. What kind of event would you say is this?
d) I have some doubts whether this adequately models customs. Even more specifically than written above, I would need a custom to be a E65_Creation if I wanted it to P94_create a legal effect. But maybe (depending on the theory of customary law you may have) the custom may not even be an intentional social practice and hence not even a candidate for E7_Activity, let alone its creation subclass.
I am almost sure that even more questions will pop up. But if you have any ideas with regard to the ones presented above, I would be most thankful!
PS. Should I be asking this somehow in the OntoMe platform?
PPS. here is a preliminary graffoo diagram:
