The accepted ontology
Browse accepted Systema Constructum entries: human-made tools, institutions, methods, practices, works, and their definitions.
100 entries in this page
A measuring instrument is a physical device or system whose purpose is to determine the magnitude of a measurable quantity by comparing it against a known standard. It operates through a transduction mechanism that converts a physical stimulus (length, temper…
A double-blind is a research protocol in which both the participants and the experimenters administering the procedure or assessing outcomes are kept unaware of which subjects receive which treatment assignments. This design eliminates observer-expectancy eff…
A caliper is a precision measuring instrument comprising two arms (one fixed, one movable) with calibrated jaws that contact opposite surfaces of an object to determine its dimensions. The device translates physical separation into a readable measurement — vi…
A structured interview is a data-collection method defined by three parameters: (1) a predetermined question set that all participants receive in identical form, (2) standardized administration procedures that fix question order, wording, and probing rules, a…
A sample is a human-made research construct: a finite subset drawn from a larger population, selected by a defined procedure so that properties of the population can be inferred about the sample and properties of the sample can be generalized to the populatio…
Focus-group is a facilitated group discussion method in which a moderator guides a selected group of participants through structured conversation on a specific topic, designed to elicit diverse perspectives and observe interactive dynamics. The method persist…
control-group is a human-made experimental construct used in scientific methodology: a subject or condition held constant and excluded from treatment, serving as a baseline against which the effects of an intervention can be isolated. Parameters: (1) must be…
Elicitation is a research method for systematically drawing out information, knowledge, or requirements from participants through structured techniques including interviews, observation, questioning, and prototyping. It operates by reducing the gap between wh…
Delphi method is a structured group communication technique in which experts answer questionnaires in multiple iterative rounds. After each round, a facilitator provides an anonymous summary of the group's response distribution and key arguments, inviting par…
Semi-structured interview is a research method in which the interviewer follows a prepared guide of open-ended questions but retains the flexibility to probe follow-up questions based on the participant's responses. Parameters: (1) a fixed core of questions a…
Replication is the research practice of repeating a prior study or experiment — using the same methods, or systematically modified ones — to verify, confirm, extend, or challenge its findings. It operates through structured protocols (pre-registration, shared…
Data-analysis is the structured practice of examining raw data through statistical, computational, or visual methods to identify patterns, test hypotheses, and generate actionable insights. It operates via defined procedures (data cleaning, transformation, mo…
Saturation is the point at which a system, medium, or perceptual field reaches maximum capacity, beyond which additional input, exposure, or accumulation yields no further effect or progressively diminishing returns. The mechanism of persistence is conceptual…
Principle is a fundamental truth, rule, or proposition that serves as a foundation for reasoning, behavior, or systematic practice. Unlike derived rules or situational guidelines, a principle operates at the level of first cause within a domain: it is not inf…
An interview is a structured conversational method for gathering information, designed by humans for research, journalism, recruitment, and investigation. It operates through a planned sequence of questions posed by an interviewer to an interviewee, governed…
Common-knowledge is a human-made framework of shared information — facts, assumptions, and practices held as known by a community without requiring formal verification. Its parameters are: (1) shared — known by multiple members of a group; (2) unverified — he…
A variable is a symbolic placeholder for a quantity, value, or property that can take on different values within a defined domain. Conceived in mathematics, adopted by statistics, computer science, and the empirical sciences, a variable is a human-made appara…
folk-theory is a human-made framework of everyday explanatory beliefs — informal, shared mental models people use to explain how the world works, without formal scientific validation. Its parameters are: (1) informality — the explanations are not systematized…
empirical-observation is a human-made research practice that gathers evidence through systematic sensory engagement with phenomena. Its parameters are: (1) direct sensory engagement — sight, sound, touch, or instrumental extension thereof — with observable ph…
retrospective-study is a human-made research methodology that examines past events, data, or records to draw conclusions about causes, patterns, and outcomes. Its parameters are: (1) the temporal direction — working backward from a known outcome or present st…
systematic-review is a human-made research methodology that collects, critically appraises, and synthesizes evidence from multiple studies on a specific research question using explicit, transparent, and reproducible methods. Its parameters are (1) a predefin…
discourse-analysis is a family of human-made interpretive methodologies that systematically examine language-in-social-context: written texts, spoken interaction, and visual-semiotic materials. Its parameters are (1) the unit of analysis — linguistic features…
action-research is a human-made research methodology that integrates systematic inquiry with practical action. The researcher actively participates in implementing change while studying the process, operating through iterative cycles of planning, acting, obse…
A meta-analysis is a research method that quantitatively synthesizes findings from multiple independent empirical studies addressing the same research question. It extracts effect sizes from each study, computes a pooled weighted estimate (typically via fixed…
An experimental-design is a research methodology for structuring controlled investigations in which one or more independent variables are manipulated while controlling extraneous variables, and outcomes are measured through dependent variables to test causal…
Structural mapping is a cognitive and analytical practice where one identifies relational patterns in a source domain and maps them onto a target domain. It operates by aligning the structural relations of two domains — not surface features — enabling reasoni…
A qualitative research methodology developed by Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss for systematically constructing theory from empirical data. Through iterative cycles of simultaneous data collection and analysis, researchers engage in open coding, axial coding…
A case-study is a research method in which a single instance (or a small number of instances) of a phenomenon is examined in depth, using multiple sources of evidence to produce a rich, contextualized account. It is distinguished from survey or experimental m…
A structured framework created by researchers to specify the procedures, methods, and logical structure for conducting systematic inquiry. It determines what data to collect, from what sample, how to gather and analyze it, and how to validate findings. Create…
Literature review is a human-made academic practice of surveying, synthesizing, and evaluating published research on a defined topic. Parameters: (1) systematic identification of relevant literature from scholarly databases and citation networks, (2) critical…
Qualitative research is a human-made methodological tradition that investigates phenomena in their natural settings through interpretive, inductive approaches. Parameters: (1) data collection via observation, interview, or document analysis; (2) iterative cyc…
A systematic qualitative research method that identifies, analyzes, and reports recurring patterns (themes) across a data set. Parameters: the researcher codes data segments against recurring semantic patterns, groups codes into candidate themes, iteratively…
Meta-synthesis is a systematic methodological practice that translates and integrates interpretive findings from multiple qualitative studies into a new, broader explanatory framework. Parameters: the practitioner (1) identifies a focused research question ac…
Cohesion is the set of grammatical and lexical mechanisms that create surface-level connections within and across sentences in a text, producing textual unity. Parameters: the filer classifies cohesion into five types — (1) reference (pronouns, demonstratives…
Parataxis is the human-made syntactic practice of arranging clauses or phrases side by side without hierarchical subordination, connected by coordination (coordinating conjunctions, punctuation, or zero-connection). Parameters: (1) at least two clauses or phr…
Hypotaxis is the human-made syntactic practice of organizing clauses or phrases through hierarchical subordination, where dependent elements are grammatically embedded within or attached to host clauses via subordinating markers (conjunctions, relative pronou…
Cross-reference is the human-made practice of directing a reader from one location in a text to another location — within the same document or in a related one — for supplemental information, clarification, or source verification. Parameters: (1) a source anc…
Triangulation is the human-made methodological practice of using multiple independent sources, methods, measurements, or investigators to cross-verify data and converge on a more reliable conclusion. Parameters: (1) at least two independent lines of evidence,…
Quotation is the human-made practice of reproducing another speaker's exact words within a new communicative act, framed by quotation marks, block formatting, or other delimiters, and accompanied by attribution to the original source. It carves quoted materia…
Procedural knowledge is the type of human knowledge encoded as sequences of actions and operations — knowing how to perform tasks — distinguished from declarative knowledge of facts and propositions. Its parameters: (1) it represents knowledge of action seque…
Conceptual integration is the cognitive operation of selectively projecting elements from two or more input mental spaces into a compressed blend, where emergent structure arises that was not present in any input. Its parameters are: (1) input spaces — distin…
Evaluation is the systematic practice of judging something's quality, value, or significance against established criteria. Its parameters are: (1) target — the person, object, process, or product being evaluated; (2) criteria — the standards or dimensions by…
Dead-code is code that exists within a program or codebase but is never executed, referenced, or reachable at runtime. Its parameters are: (1) a location in the source — the file and line range where the dead code resides; (2) a reachability status — unreacha…
Assessment is the structured practice of gathering information to understand, characterize, or make sense of a subject, system, or state of affairs. Its parameters are: (1) a target of assessment — the person, object, process, or condition being examined, (2)…
Inquiry is a systematic human practice of investigation aimed at discovering, interpreting, or establishing knowledge. Its parameters are: (1) a question or problem domain that motivates the investigation, (2) methods of inquiry such as observation, reasoning…
Coda is a distinct concluding section of a composition that extends past the expected structural endpoint to provide closure. Its parameters are: (1) a preceding main body of the composition, (2) a clearly demarcated final section that extends beyond the norm…
Comparison is the deliberate examination of two or more entities to identify their similarities and differences. Its parameters are: (1) a set of two or more entities to be compared, (2) criteria or dimensions along which comparison proceeds, and (3) a method…
Analysis is the systematic process of decomposing a complex entity — whether an idea, system, text, or phenomenon — into its constituent parts to examine their relationships, structure, and function. Its parameters are: (1) a defined target of inquiry with id…
Problem-solving is the systematic process of identifying, analyzing, and resolving difficulties through the application of knowledge, strategies, and creative methods. Its parameters are: (1) a defined problem or challenge with a clear target state, (2) avail…
Validation is the systematic process of establishing that a thing meets specified requirements or criteria. Its parameters are: (1) a defined set of acceptance criteria that specify what counts as valid, (2) an evaluation method — testing, inspection, or anal…
Plot is the deliberate arrangement of events into a structured sequence that produces causal and temporal coherence. Its parameters are: (1) a finite set of events or situations, (2) a chosen ordering of those events (which may be chronological, reversed, fra…
Conceptual analysis is the method of decomposing complex concepts into their necessary and sufficient components to clarify meaning, expose hidden assumptions, and reveal internal logical structure. Its parameters are: (1) the target concept to be analyzed, (…
Abductive inference is a mode of reasoning in which one starts from an observation or set of observations and seeks to form the simplest and most likely explanation. Its parameters are: (1) an incomplete set of observations, (2) a candidate hypothesis that ac…
An apostrophe is a rhetorical figure in which a speaker or writer directly addresses an absent person, an abstract concept, or a personified entity as if present and able to respond. The parameters that define an apostrophe are: (1) a shift from the normal co…
A diagnostic plot is a visual encoding designed to reveal structural properties of a dataset or model fit — outliers, leverage, influence, heteroscedasticity, model misspecification, and distributional assumptions. It carves by purpose: the plot exists to sup…
Synonymy is a semantic relation between two or more lexical items (words or phrases) that share the same or nearly the same meaning within a given language or discourse community. The parameters that define synonymy are: (1) lexical items — the specific words…
An epistemic vice is a character trait or habitual disposition that systematically impairs a person's capacity for knowledge acquisition, evaluation, and sharing. The parameters that define an epistemic vice are: (1) it is a stable disposition rather than a o…
Refutation is a human-made practice for demonstrating that a claim, argument, or theory is false or unsound. Its parameters: (1) a target proposition or argument to be refuted, (2) evidence or reasoning that contradicts the target, (3) a method of demonstrati…
Search is a human-made procedure for locating relevant items within a collection. Its parameters: (1) a target collection or space to examine, (2) criteria or a query specifying what is sought, (3) a scanning or querying mechanism applied to the collection, (…
An amulet is a protective charm — a small object (stone, metal, bone, fabric, or inscription) crafted, selected, or consecrated to be worn or carried for warding off harm, evil, or misfortune. Its parameters: (1) physical form — portable and worn/carried; (2)…
Troubleshooting is a human-made diagnostic practice for systematically identifying, isolating, and resolving failures in a system, process, or artifact. It operates through a structured cycle: (1) observing symptoms of malfunction, (2) generating hypotheses a…
Epistemic-frame is a human-made conceptual structure — a framework of assumptions, categories, and norms that determines what counts as knowledge, evidence, or truth within a given context. Its parameters: (1) a set of epistemic commitments (what is taken as…
A talisman is a ritual object — natural or crafted — that a culture or individual invests with protective or empowering function through intentional consecration, inscription, or ritual practice. Its parameters are: (1) intentional designation as talismanic b…
A script-theory is a human-made cognitive construct — a model positing that human memory organizes knowledge of recurring, stereotyped events as structured sequences of actions (scripts) that enable prediction, comprehension, and recall of familiar situations…
A theory-of-mind is a human-made theoretical construct in psychology and philosophy — a model positing that individuals attribute unobservable mental states (beliefs, intents, desires, knowledge, emotions) to themselves and others in order to predict and expl…
A thought-experiment is a human-made reasoning construct — a controlled mental simulation used to explore the consequences of hypotheses, principles, or scenarios without physical execution. Parameters: (1) initial condition — the hypothetical setup or altere…
A mental-representation is a human-made cognitive construct — an internal or external symbol, image, or structure that stands for and carries meaning about something else. Parameters: (1) representamen — the form the representation takes (word, image, diagram…
Counterfactual-reasoning is a human-made reasoning method that evaluates what-else-could-happen scenarios to illuminate causal structure, decision quality, or moral responsibility. Parameters: (1) antecedent alteration — specifying a condition that differs fr…
Intervention is a human-made construct representing a deliberate action taken by design to alter, influence, or interrupt an existing state or process. Parameters: (1) deliberate design — the action is intentional, not incidental; (2) target — an existing sta…
Schema-theory is a human-made cognitive framework that explains how organized knowledge structures — called schemas — enable humans to process, interpret, and store information. Parameters: (1) schemas as structured knowledge representations that group relate…
Mechanism is a human-made explanatory construct that models how a system's parts interact to produce its characteristic behavior or function. Parameters: (1) parts — the identifiable components or sub-processes of the system; (2) interaction — the causal rela…
Causality is the human-made conceptual framework for representing and reasoning about cause-and-effect relationships. It models how one event, state, or process (the cause) brings about another (the effect). Parameters: the putative cause, the putative effect…
Prediction is a human-made forecasting practice that constructs forward-looking claims about future states based on evidence, models, or observed patterns. Parameters: the predicted future state, the basis of evidence (model, pattern, or prior observation), t…
Opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative forgone when a decision allocates a scarce resource. Parameters: the surrendered alternative, the metric of value (monetary, temporal, or utility-based), and the decision context that renders options mutua…
A plan is a structured representation of intended actions, decisions, and timelines, created to coordinate behavior across time and between agents. Parameters: the target state or goal, the sequence of actions leading to it, resource allocation, and the tempo…
Choice architecture is the intentional structuring of decision environments — the way options are presented, ordered, grouped, defaulted, or framed — so that the design itself influences outcomes without removing any alternatives. Its parameters are: (1) the…
Reductionism is a philosophical position and methodological practice claiming that complex systems, phenomena, or kinds of knowledge can be explained by reducing them to simpler, more fundamental components. Parameters: (1) the explanatory claim that wholes a…
Pragmatic argument is a form of informal reasoning that evaluates claims, beliefs, or courses of action by their practical consequences rather than by abstract principles, theoretical elegance, or authority. Parameters: the proposed claim or action, the pract…
Appeal to authority is the rhetorical tactic of asserting a claim's truth solely on the basis that an authority figure or institution endorses it, bypassing independent evidence. Its parameters are: (1) the claimed proposition, (2) the invoked authority, (3)…
Causal reasoning is the human-made practice of inferring cause-effect relationships from evidence, observations, or data. Its parameters are: (1) identifiable entities or variables, (2) observed correlations or temporal sequences, (3) a mechanism or model lin…
A scenario is a structured representation of a possible future or alternate state, constructed through deliberate imagination and narrative to support planning, analysis, risk assessment, or strategic communication. Its parameters are: (1) a hypothesized futu…
Planning is the human-made practice of organizing actions, resources, and decisions in advance to achieve desired outcomes. Its parameters are: (1) a target state or goal, (2) a sequence of intermediate steps or milestones, (3) resource allocation across thos…
Backcasting is a strategic planning and design method that begins by envisioning a desired future state, then works backwards to identify the sequence of actions, policies, and interventions required to reach that future. Its parameters are: (1) a clearly def…
A prompt is a structured input designed by a human to guide the output behavior of a processing system. Its parameters are: (1) a sequence of instructions, context, or constraints encoded in language or structured format, (2) a target processing system — most…
An assumption is a proposition taken for granted as a starting point of reasoning, without requiring proof within the argument in which it functions. Its parameters are: (1) a proposition advanced as if true, (2) absence of proof within the immediate context,…
Availability is the engineered quality of being ready to receive use when needed. Parameters: (1) a resource, system, or service exists in a ready state, (2) an access mechanism allows users to reach it, (3) the system sustains readiness over time despite fai…
Moving-the-goalposts is the argumentative fallacy in which the standard of proof required to accept a claim is changed mid-debate after the original standard has been met or challenged. PARAMETERS: (1) an initial evidentiary threshold set or implied by the cl…
A slippery slope is a rhetorical tactic in which the arguer claims that accepting a modest initial action or policy will inevitably trigger a cascade of increasingly extreme outcomes, without demonstrating the necessary causal links between each step. Its par…
Foil is a literary technique that creates meaning through deliberate contrast: a character, setting, idea, or event is constructed or selected to highlight specific qualities of another element in the work by juxtaposition of differing attributes. Parameters:…
Amplification is a rhetorical technique that strengthens a point by elaborating on it through varied expression, repetition with intensification, and cumulative detail. Parameters: (1) a base claim or image, (2) successive elaborations that increase intensity…
A cautionary-tale is a human-made narrative form constructed to warn its audience by depicting the negative consequences of specific behaviors or choices. Parameters: (1) a narrative with cause-and-effect chain linking actions to adverse outcomes, (2) a prota…
A legal-principle is a human-made abstract construct: a rule or standard derived from legal reasoning, precedent, and doctrine that guides judicial decision-making and shapes the operation of legal systems. Parameters: (1) derived from established legal sourc…
A conceptual tool is a human-made cognitive artifact structured to organize, extend, or direct thought. Parameters: (1) intentional design — created specifically for a cognitive purpose, not emergent; (2) formal structure — has identifiable rules, representat…
Situated knowledge is the epistemic framework asserting that all knowledge is position-dependent — shaped by the knower's social, cultural, historical, and physical context rather than being universal or detached. Parameters: (1) anti-universalism — rejects t…
A speech act is a spoken or written utterance that functions as an action — promising, ordering, declaring, questioning — rather than merely describing a state of affairs. Parameters: (1) locutionary act (the act of saying something with phonetic, proposition…
Dead reckoning is a navigation method that determines current position by projecting forward from a known starting point using recorded course, speed, and elapsed time, without external reference points. Parameters: (1) known position — the last verified fix…
Sunk cost is the principle that resources already invested (money, time, effort) cannot be recovered and should not influence future decisions. Parameters: (1) irreversibility — the invested resource cannot be recouped through any current action; (2) irreleva…
A syllabus is a structured document produced by an instructor or institution that specifies the content, schedule, reading materials, assessment criteria, and behavioral expectations for a particular course. It carves a bounded educational experience into a n…
Interoperability is the specification of how distinct systems, components, or organizations exchange information and act upon that exchanged information. It is not an emergent property but a deliberate arrangement — a set of rules, formats, and behavioral con…
A counterfactual is a human-made cognitive operation that supposes alternatives to actual events. Its parameters include: (1) counterfactuality — the antecedent condition is known or believed to be false; (2) suppositional reasoning — the mind holds a hypothe…