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[EPO-4] Clarify the context of semantics
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Try to make clear what we mean by semantics in the UML context.

Resolves internal feedback issue EPO-4 partially.
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schivmeister committed Oct 25, 2023
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Expand Up @@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ We provide here a working specification of the guidelines and conventions for th

In the eProcurement ontology project, the conceptual model was decided [xref:references.adoc#ref:d2.01-2017[d2.01-2017]] to be represented in _Unified Modelling Language (UML)_ [xref:references.adoc#ref:uml-userguide[uml-userguide]]. It is a visual representation language that facilitates understanding and convergence between stakeholders towards a common conceptualisation of the model.

Generally, the primary application of UML [xref:references.adoc#ref:fowler2004[fowler2004]] for ontology design is in the specification of class diagrams initially conceived for object-oriented software. UML does not define a formal semantics that would permit to determine, from the class diagrams, whether an ontology is consistent, or to determine the correctness of the ontology implementation. Semantics in such cases becomes a subject to interpretation by the stakeholders involved in the development process and later by the users in the application and integration tasks [xref:references.adoc#ref:grunninger2003[grunninger2003]].
Generally, the primary application of UML [xref:references.adoc#ref:fowler2004[fowler2004]] for ontology design is in the specification of class diagrams, a design formalism initially conceived for object-oriented software. UML does not define a formal _semantics_ that would permit to determine, from the class diagrams, whether a corresponding ontology is consistent, or to determine the correctness of the ontology implementation. Semantics in UML is therefore subject to interpretation by the stakeholders involved in the development process, and later by the users in the application and integration tasks [xref:references.adoc#ref:grunninger2003[grunninger2003]].

On the other hand, UML is closer than more logic-oriented approaches to the programming languages in which enterprise applications are implemented. For this reason the current specification establishes conventions for interpretation of the UML-based conceptual model.

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