© Roger M Tagg 2008, 2010
Welcome to FROLIO – a new attempt to merge philosophy and the "semantic web". This website is in process of continuous development.
The notion of Context recognizes that what we talk, write, read or get worked up about if usually only one small corner of our total life experience. Context answers the question "in which sense are we using these words?". It covers topic areas, fields of study, specialties, subjects, industries, hobbies - and all the different aspects of the skills we need to live our lives.
The table below is my suggested bird's eye view of Context. It is not claimed to be anything more than one person's idea of how everything we know or feel can be expressed in 5 columns and 3 rows of a rectangular table. The boundaries are deliberately left "dashed" as many contexts that we talk about have a place in more than one area of the table. However it may be good to distinguish, for example, religion as a feeling from religion as an organized institution; or medical science from medical practice and even from the dexterity a surgeon - like a car mechanic - needs to perform an operation.
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Knowledge about the things we can observe |
Knowledge of how to build, change and maintain things |
Cooperation with each other and with sentient beings |
Expression of one’s feelings |
Understanding of what we can know or feel |
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Raising our game |
Systems sciences |
Engineering socio-technical |
Commerce |
Expressive (art for art’s sake) |
Philosophy |
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Management science |
Psychology |
Info
systems |
Social |
Trading |
Supply |
Music |
Painting
Sculpture |
Ontology |
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Natural sciences |
Engineering physical things |
Organization |
Useful arts |
Semiotics |
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Physics |
Astronomy |
Buildings |
Electrical |
Government |
Institutions |
Architecture |
Design |
Self knowledge |
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Getting along |
Sciences of human activity |
Agriculture, fishing and food |
Society |
Religion |
Building blocks |
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Geography |
History |
Crop
culture |
Fisheries |
One
on one |
Common interest |
Mysticism |
Ceremony |
Matter |
Ideas |
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Analysis tools |
Handiwork, artisanship |
Conflict |
Personal Drivers |
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Applied maths |
Logic |
Tool
usage |
Musical instru-ment playing |
War |
Politics |
Dreams |
Pride |
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Basic scientific methods |
Engineering methods |
Basic methods |
Basic instincts |
Methods |
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Measurement |
Modelling |
Prototyping |
Feedback |
Practice |
Ethics |
Survival |
Physical pain |
Reason, logic |
Abstraction |
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Slogan |
How can we explain this? |
We can fix this better |
Let’s do it together |
Let it all hang out |
Why are we here, and what is life all about? |
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Common methods |
Division of responsibility, specialization, delegation |
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Language (written, spoken), body language, signals, codes |
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Patterns of action or thought |
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Knowledge transfer, teaching, education, practice, recommendation, authority, command |
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Guidelines, best practice, tips and tricks, expertise |
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This list below has been generated independently, but it leans partly on the structure of typical library catalogs, university faculties, technical college courses, night schools and on things of practical everyday concern. Barbara Ann Kipfer's book "The Order of Things", with its many lists, has been a great prompter and is gratefully acknowledged.
The list is based on a single hierarchy with 3 levels: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. This is clearly an arbitrary decision, and many more levels may exist in reality.
Inevitably, this list is only partial. There are many more "ologies" in Kipfer's book - and even more in the average dictionary.
| Name of Context in Primary Hierarchy | Other Related Context(s) |
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| Fundamental Knowledge | |
Mathematics |
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Pure Mathematics |
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Applied Mathematics |
Physics, Statistics |
Logic |
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Philosophy |
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Game Theory |
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Statistics |
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| Natural Science | |
Physics |
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Nuclear Physics |
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Electricity |
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Heat |
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Light |
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Sound |
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Chemistry |
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Botany |
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Zoology |
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Veterinary Science |
Medicine |
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Ornithology |
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Archaeology |
History |
Medicine |
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Anatomy |
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Physiology |
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Pharmacology |
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Pathology |
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Psychiatry |
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Epidemiology |
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Earth Science |
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Meteorology |
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Geography |
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Geology |
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Environmental Science |
Botany, Zoology |
Astronomy |
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Archaeology |
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| Engineering | |
Civil Engineering |
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Mechanical Engineering |
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Electrical Engineering |
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Electronic Engineering |
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Chemical Engineering |
Chemistry |
Informatics |
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Computer Science |
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Library Science |
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| Arts | |
Expressive Arts |
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Drama |
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Literature |
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Music |
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Architecture |
Civil Engineering |
Languages |
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Religion |
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History |
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| Business | |
Economics |
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Management |
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Finance |
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Marketing |
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| Society | |
Sociology |
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Law |
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Government |
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Psychology |
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Media |
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Genealogy |
Hobbies |
| Education | |
| War | |
Military Strategy |
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Military Tactics |
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| Services | |
Commercial Services |
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Manufacturing |
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Accountancy |
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Legal Services |
Law |
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Repair and Maintenance |
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Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Telephone etc) |
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Travel |
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Transportation |
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Brokering |
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Catering |
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Hospitality |
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Fashion Industry |
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Paramedical Services |
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Social Services |
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Funerals |
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Disabilities |
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Family Support |
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Aged Support |
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| Life Skills | |
Basic Life Skills |
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Technical Trades |
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Agriculture |
Botany, Zoology |
Textiles |
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Personal and Family Health |
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Buying and Selling |
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Human Relations |
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Home Management |
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Money Management |
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| Leisure | |
Sport |
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Hobbies |
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Gaming |
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Fashion Following |
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Gossip |
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Tourism |
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Food and Drink |
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Celebrations |
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It could be said that the list above has a rather more "academic" flavour than the first table, and does not capture so much of the different styles of our human experience. But it has the advantage of being easier to expand into more detail.
These link you, the reader, to more details about FROLIO. The core of this website is a set of pages about relationships - links to these are on the first table below. The index in the bottom row points to a set of "diatribes" or opinionated essays, about things the author feels particularly strongly about!
Some of these links may be under construction – or re-construction.
This version updated on 29th January 2010
If you have constructive suggestions or comments, please contact the author rogertag@tpg.com.au .