The Notion of "Category": Its Implications in Subject Analysis and in the Construction and Evaluation of Indexing Languages
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4 Knowl. Org. 27(2000)No.1/No.2
M. G. Barite: The Notion of “Category”...
The Notion of “Category”:
Its Implications in Subject Analysis and in the
Construction and Evaluation of Indexing Languages
Mario Guido Barite
School of Library Science
University of the Republic of Uruguay
Mario Guido Barite is a professor and researcher at the School of Librarianship at the University of the
Republic, in Uruguay, where he specializes in the Theory of Classification and Terminology. He is the
author of six books and thirty articles about Librarianship and Information Science, and Law Docu-
mentation and Terminology.
Barite, M. G. (2000). The notion of “category”: its implications in subject analysis and in the con-
struction and evaluation of indexing languages. Knowledge Organization, 27(1/2). 4-10. 11 refs.
ABSTRACT: The notion of category, from Aristotle and Kant to the present time, has been used as a basic intellectual tool for
the analysis of the existence and changeableness of things. Ranganathan was the first to extrapolate the concept into the Theory
of Classification, placing it as an essential axis for the logical organization of knowledge and the construction of indexing lan-
guages. This paper proposes a conceptual and methodological reexamination of the notion of category from a functional and in-
strumental perspective, and tries to clarify the essential characters of categories in that context, and their present implications re-
garding the construction and evaluation of indexing languages.
Keywords: Categories, Classification theory, Indexing languages
1. Introduction times of Plotinus and Aristotle to Kant and other
Recent literature concerning the topic of categories modern philosophers (Hamelin and Husserl among
does not abound. Research in the Organization of others). It was Ranganathan who extrapolated the
Knowledge has firmly led its way in other directions concept from Philosophy to the Classification of
(computing applications, machine indexing, termi- Knowledge and who elaborated a harmonic and re-
nology, thesaurus specialization vs. natural language, flexive conception of categories. Furthermore, to
etc.). While categories appear to matter only to classi- prove that categories necessarily are the foundation,
ficationists (i.e. to the limited group of those who not always visible, of any organizational system of
elaborate and construct indexing languages and other knowledge, he constructed a system of classification,
conceptualization systems), sooner or later, most clas- the Colon Classification, from his theoretical postu-
sifiers or indexers, have to assume the role of classifi- lates.
cationists since the present state of indexing languages In search of support to understand the concept, we
entails minor and major surgery be performed to refer to a good encyclopedic dictionary (Labor, 1990),
adapt these languages to users’ requirements. which defines categories as “any of the more general
The question proceeds: What do we designate characteristics or temperaments applied as a whole to
when we make reference to categories? Eric De all beings and to the other manners or modalities dis-
Grolier (1962) affirmed, some years ago, that there played by them”. And it adds, under the entry SU-
was no settled definition. Historically, the notion of PREME CATEGORIES: “Phil. A topic embraced by
category has had diverse conceptualizations, from the Metaphysics; it intends to systematically establish
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M. G. Barite: The Notion of “Category”...
more general modalities which globally include not 2. Definitions
only the entirety of beings, but also all their charac- We should first make it clear that it is not possible
teristics or properties, but they differ from essential to characterize categories in the Theory of Classifica-
categories in that each one belongs to one sector of re- tion, taking on loan the definitions provided by Phi-
ality”. losophy, Ontology or Metaphysics. They are mere
As it may be appreciated, comprehension of this and simple conceptual departure points to organize
concept is neither simple nor easily accessible. The our specific scientific discourse. A first useful ap-
fact that in our literature, the notions of category, char- proximation tells us that categories are extremely gen-
acteristic or class are sometimes used indistinctly even eral abstract expressions, so that they could be per-
though they are so different, does not help to their ceived in any entity, element or object. There is an
characterization either. implicit characteristic as well, following Aristotelian
We are also aware of some sort of provisional ap- thought, which refers to the instrumental character of
proach to the concept of category in the Theory of categories. Effectively, categories are used as tools to
Classification. This approach is taken as conclusive discover certain regularities of the material world,
and concluded by all of us – something like an un- thus, all objects – at least all those belonging to the
closed reflection of Ranganathan’s idea – which eve- material world – have certain properties. As a result,
rybody, even Ranganathan himself, has assumed to be properties is a possible category to analyze the material
the definitive one. But, do we know for sure the ap- world.
plicability of such an abstract notion made in Organi- Their abstract nature having been instituted, it
zation of Knowledge? Have we managed to character- should be added that categories are, in their basic na-
ize, with extreme accuracy, the statements of such a ture, extremely simple notions – the most simplified
conceptualization? Have we managed to establish, ones we may obtain to analyze any phenomenon and
plainly and clearly, why and what for categories are place it in certain position with respect to an object.
useful in our disciplinary field? In like manner, as categories express regularities, by
There is a short story by Poe (1845), where Minis- force they also constitute conceptual structures with
ter D. purloins an extremely important document certain permanence and stability (though the result of
from the Royal apartments. The police know this their application to different objects may be variable),
document may only be hidden at the Minister’s capable of having expressions in any object, entity or
house, and despite the fact that all of the furniture, real or ideal being.
joinings, rungs of every chair, boards, bedposts and As a central core of our conception, we define
paving bricks of the residence had been thoroughly categories as simplified abstractions that, with the
scrutinized and even dismantled, the letter could not strength of intellectual instruments, are used by classi-
be found. The opinion of Auguste Dupin, a sort of ficationists to investigate regularities of objects of the
scientific detective or scientist made into a detective, physical and ideal world and for representing notions.
was requested and he found the document in the most This analysis and representation is performed with a
unmistakable place: a modest card-rack of pasteboard view to logically organizing systems of concepts, suf-
situated where everybody could see it, expressing per- ficient for the organization of knowledge in general
haps that “the mystery was a little too plain – or a terms, and subject analysis or document classification
little too self-evident.” in specific terms.
The answers to our queries are also solved in the Within the Theory of Classification then, catego-
most evident way, from an analysis of the implicit ries are only relevant as instruments of analysis and
discourse of Ranganathan and other experts, who ap- organization of objects, phenomena and knowledge.
parently could not take the following step (the expla- Although they keep their ontological essence, in our
nation of principles, statements and inferences regard- discipline categories are of interest not as elements of
ing categories) because, maybe, they had it too near. metaphysical speculation, but as levels or dimensions
The preceding has been said, it should be noted, with of analysis applied to the interior structuring of hu-
the most intellectually humble attitude we are able to man knowledge and their most representative abstrac-
hold. tions: concepts.
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M. G. Barite: The Notion of “Category”...
3. Usefulness mous. All that exists or happens in the Universe
For the classificationist, the use of categories be- qualifies for study, and the same occurs with the
comes a first line instrument in three precise activities knowledge expressed in documents. The object has,
mentioned in this paper: therefore, a vast case study, as many ideal or material
things occur in the world. Referents may be the city
i) design, planning and structuring of indexing of Montevideo, the process of photosynthesis, Euclid-
languages or systems of knowledge (systems ean geometry, the human digestive tract, unicorns or
of classification, thesauri, taxonomies, etc.); the French Revolution.
ii) modification or specification of classification Every object gives origin to infinite aspects for its
tables; analysis, given its intrinsic complexity. The French
iii) the evaluation and analysis of indexing lan- Revolution, for example, may be studied as a simple
guages and systems of concepts through a set sequence of chronologically distributed facts, or in
of parameters capable of establishing the terms of its influence upon its historic times, upon the
grade of reciprocal tension among related neighboring countries, upon the population of
concepts and their relevance and validity. France, or upon the Arts and culture in general. The
For classifiers/indexers, the notion of category fa- ideology of the French Revolution may be analyzed,
cilitates the subject analysis process and its symboliza- or the gap existing between its postulates and its ac-
tion, since it helps to establish correct precedence complishments; its causes may be analyzed, its links
among several subjects in a document, as well as an and consequences; or a sociologic, ideological or sta-
adequate hierarchical arrangement to compose classi- tistical study of its process may be performed.
fication symbols or to correctly place all subject- The huge complexity of any object impedes its
matter in a chain indexing process. global, integral and complete analysis. There exist, in
Those responsible for classification systems usually addition, object attributes that condition its study:
suggest a standard order to name subjects, based on a) Any object is naturally dynamic and mutable. For that
categories. Thus, in the Guide to use of UDC (McIl- reason, for its analysis to be accomplished,
waine, 1994), the recommendation is to apply the se- the object must be captured at a certain time
ries “Thing – class – part – material – property – pro- and abstraction from its reality is required at
cess – operation – agent – space and time”. Therefore, a given moment.
if a document referring to “Material components of b) The object may be real or ideal. It may have existed,
planes and flight operations” is to be classified, the se- as may be corroborated by its existence regis-
ries will be: “Planes – material components – flight ters (Einstein or the city of Pompeii), or
operations”. maybe it only has an immaterial existence,
not physical, due to its nature (theorems, the
4. Category, object and analyst
human unconscious, the Greek Gods). These
Strictly speaking, it is not possible to isolate the particular characteristics seem to obstruct the
notion of category from those of object and analyst. analysis, since analysts are condemned to act
The analyst is the one who sets the basis for the by approximation. However, once conven-
analysis, and performs a subjective levelization, to tions have been clearly established by consen-
have access to a specific reality of the object. He or sus, abstract objects are easily systematized –
she is conscious of the intellectual impossibility of after agreement has been reached regarding
embracing the knowledge of an object all at once and what a theorem is or certain chronological
selects a distinct aspect of the object. In our discipline, and factual conventions of the French Revo-
classifiers and classificationists must consider all of the lution – the difficulty of giving intellectual
ways an author has approached a document, as well as access to the concept diminishes.
their own subjective levelizations of analysis. c) Some objects have delimitation problems. Attempts to
On the other hand, the existence of categories produce a definition usually create discrepan-
without an object of study is not possible, since ap- cies and shades of meaning among experts, so
plying categories in emptiness is senseless – the use of much so that they may cause a certain aspect
categories demands a frame of reference. The object or of the object to be placed within one category
referent may be any object or entity, being or phe- or the other. But we also have the difficulties
nomenon, that admits analysis as something autono- posed by the concepts that do not attain con-
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M. G. Barite: The Notion of “Category”...
ventional agreement. To exemplify, think of makes an expressed reference to the fragmen-
the difficulty of approving by consensus the tary or partial scope of the knowledge of real-
basic statements towards the definition of the ity offered by each separate category. Every
concept labor flexibilization from the viewpoint category makes a division in a globality. As a
of a sociologist with a Marxist orientation result, the set of categories selected by an ana-
and another one of ultra-liberal ideas. lyst should provide a complete representation
of the object. But to achieve that would re-
By association, terminologists know well that as
quire that the set of selected categories en-
many definitions of an object may arise, as there are
compass the total sum of possible levels of
theoretical, practical, semantic or ideological needs are
analysis. Ranganathan developed a collection
intended to be met.
of five categories to that effect: MATTER re-
d) A large part of the objects belong to, or occur in a phase fers in its conception to the aspects of static
of the time-space continuum, or rather flow along a section analysis of an object; ENERGY corresponds
of that continuum. Due to their mutating and dy- to the object’s dynamic study; TIME and
namic nature, some objects achieve various SPACE refer to the object’s position along
configurations and undergo a double influ- those two coordinates; lastly, PERSONAL-
ence: that of the processes occurring as a re- ITY may include both kinds of things and
sult of the action of internal agents, and that parts of things and operates as a residual cate-
of the processes caused by external agents. gory that absorbs those elements not con-
This double influence is the determinant of templated by the other categories.
each specific configuration, since any object b) Every category implies a specific level of analysis. Be-
is, in a given time and in a given spatial situa- cause it has instrumental character, every
tion, the synthesis of the impacts brought category is functional and given its absolute
about by such agents. degree of abstraction, it lies outside the real
As a matter of fact, many of the preceding theori- world. By reason of its functional character,
zations preoccupy researchers more at an earlier stage the selection of a category always pursues an
of the scientific method than they do analysts of analytical aim, but only from a given ap-
knowledge. Nevertheless, these theories provide us proach, point of view or level of study. Thus,
with an expressive picture of the inherent complexity the ENERGY category attempts to establish,
of any analysis, and we should know them, to use identify and decompose the set of processes
with adequate methods to address the transfer of dis- undergone by an object, and simply that. Re-
ciplines and their concepts from classification of garding Medicine, this category will enable
knowledge to indexing languages. the determination of signs and symptoms, the
course of diseases, etc.
5. Characters of categories. c) Categories are levels of analysis external to the object.
We believe that the assumption that catego-
In this section we believe we make a contribution
ries are constituted by object elements or
towards the consolidation of our theoretical corpus
components has erroneously spread, its roots
through the transfer, to an explicit level, of different
proably going back to Aristotle. Notwith-
notions which were merely suggested, implied and
standing, in our line of thought, when we es-
even contradicted, in Ranganathian and post-
tablish as a postulate that every category is a
Ranganathian thought. Unusual as it may seem since
level of analysis applied over the object, we
they are positioned at the base of Ranganathian the-
naturally come to the conclusion that such
ory, these notions have been neglected to some ex-
categories are autonomous and external ele-
tent. Since it is established that in Science, even what
ments with respect to the object being stud-
is implied must be explained and justified, for this
ied. Consequently, TIME and SPACE catego-
particular case we shall try to decompose the notion
ries are formed with totally external compo-
of category through inductive-deductive processes, in
nents, all that can be said in this respect is
order to extract its most typical characteristics:
that they study the object in a given time or
a) Every category is a sectorial one. Among the authors sphere of action. The fact is that their own
of our discipline, we have not found one who instrumental nature makes categories akin to
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M. G. Barite: The Notion of “Category”...
laboratory equipment used by any scientist in (1977) “... the most general classes of phe-
his or her specific area. The opposing asser- nomena”, Wersig & Neveling (1976) “... a
tion would imply, for example, mistaking the class of very high generality” or “a general
cells a geneticist has been investigating for the facet applying to a lot of subject fields”, and
microscope used to perform his or her re- Buonocore (1976). If we depart from Aristo-
search. telian philosophy, and even Kantian philoso-
d) Categories are mutually excluding. If we accept that phy, category – by nature and definition –
a category provides fragmentary information should be applied indiscriminately to any ob-
of the reality of an object, it should also be ject. Nonetheless, when the concept is trans-
pointed out that each category envelops that ferred to the Theory of Classification, it
sector exclusively and excludingly, ruling out seems clear that categories are instruments of
any possibility of intersection between the high generalization, though not absolute.
level of analysis of one category with the level Conceivably, categories of larger generaliza-
of analysis of another category. Jones gives tion may be SPACE and TIME, and for that
apparently solid arguments to relativize mu- reason facets recognized as intrinsic usually
tual exclusion among categories. He ex- appear in indexing languages as auxiliary or
presses: “If a tree is examined it is found that additional tables. As anyone who has organ-
to be a tree, as distinct from timber, it is essen- ized a table of concepts may ratify, TYPOL-
tial for its roots to be in soil and for it OGY, (or TYPES) and PROCESSES are also
branches to have access to air and light. If soil categories applicable in a large degree to all
or air or light is removed there can be no tree disciplines and areas of knowledge.
– only timber: ‘tree-ness’ is energy dependent
The fact that some categories are highly generaliz-
and tied to matter. As the combinations of
able does not imply that permanently and under any
energy and matter are only found under cer-
circumstances they must be used to construct an in-
tain conditions (e.g. not above certain alti-
dexing language. There are areas of knowledge where
tudes) trees can only exist in certain places.
the application of certain categories is not of any use.
Further, individual trees are time dependent.
Every discipline has its own conceptual structure
Thus, ‘tree-ness’ (the personality of trees) is
which pre-shapes categories to be used for its internal
related to matter, energy, space and time and
organization. The Colon Classification is expressive
none of these elements can be excluded from
in this sense, since the facet formula rarely forms the
it. Moreover, as all these elements are re-
complete PMEST sequence and does not correspond
quired it would be futile to attempt to assign
class to class.
especial significance to any one of them, such
as time or matter” (158). Nevertheless, his f) Every category may admit, with reference to an object,
proposal is debatable as soon as we discover variable levels of subdivision. Each level of subdivi-
that Jones has been more committed to find- sion is technically known as characteristic, facet,
ing examples of interdependence and non- or attribute, through which a concept or object
exclusion in the real world and in nature is subdivided; a homogenous set of foci being
rather than in the world of notions. The fal- obtained in that way. Thus, if to the concept
lacy lies in denying mutual exclusion within SOUTH AMERICA, the characteristic “by
reality, when it should be accepted in the countries” is applied, we obtain a series with
level of abstractions. The reciprocally exclud- the name of all the states situated in that con-
ing character of categories is an inescapable tinent. The literature does not give very pre-
need for their application, and it is useful in cise definition to the bond which joins and
all types of indexing and creation of schemes. distinguishes the concepts characteristic and cate-
e) Every category is highly generalizable. In the revision gory. They are terms frequently used indis-
of literature of our specialized area, we con- tinctly as synonyms. But they are not syno-
firm that in the broad application of catego- nyms. Though it is true that the characteristic
ries, there is agreement among authors such as also suggests a certain level of analysis of an
Mills (1964) “... concepts of high generaliza- object, its space is always involved in a more
tion and large application...”; Langridge comprehensive sphere, that of a category.
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M. G. Barite: The Notion of “Category”...
The creation of a facet, when a characteristic is perament, properties, processes, phenomena,
consistently applied, may eventuate in the frame of relations, spatial dimension and temporal di-
one category and only one category. Significant are mension. Ranganathan himself may have con-
the doubts that Ranganathan had, to assign either the tributed to that variety of positions, since in
formulation PERSONALITY, or the formulation part I of his Colon Classification (1960) he
ENERGY to certain facets, resorting to the simulta- identified the main facets of each class with
neous designation of two categories, {E} and {2P}, normalized terms (Substance, Problem, Proc-
and leaving the classifier free to determine the appli- ess, Organs, Parts, Material, Action, Utility,
cable category in the context of the document. Operation, etc.) That were taken by other
The first statement we put forward to clarify this authors to designate new categories, arguing
problem is: “Given an object, and a characteristic hav- that the PMEST formula was insufficient.
ing been obtained for its analysis, the latter, in the
In reality, the number of categories a classification-
level of analysis used, corresponds to one category
ist is able to establish for his or her work shall in-
and not more than one category”. The following is in-
crease inversely to the degree of generality of applica-
ferred from this statement, by inversion of its mean-
tion aimed at in each category. Thus, the election of
ing: “Given a category, n number of characteristics
ENERGY will project a field of use relative to all dy-
(and therefore, possible facets) are comprised by it,
namic aspects of the object. But, if inversely, the
which will belong exclusively and excludingly to this
search is to specify certain dynamic aspects in “mi-
category in the level of analysis used”.
nor” categories, this will lead ENERGY to decom-
Let us confirm these postulates in a given case, to
pose in PROCESSES, OPERATIONS and PROB-
prove that for one category, a variable number of ex-
LEMS. There is no better alternative, only a decision
clusive characteristics may always be identified: If the
linked to the utility it conveys for the analysis of ob-
object were “humanity”, in generic terms, the TYPES
jects.
OF OBJECT category would allow the application
of, among others, the following characteristics: “by 6. Conclusions
ethnicity”, “by nationality”, “by social class”, or “by
gender”. In the specific case, the TYPES category re- It is possible that the conceptual and methodologi-
mains invariable, while the four identified characteris- cal revision we have tried regarding the notion of
tics are mutually excluding, and each of them is placed category demands more specific applications in index-
within the TYPES category in this level of analysis. ing languages, to corroborate its adequacy and rele-
vance. We also understand that a contribution to-
g) Agreement has not been reached regarding a limited col- wards its study from a functional-instrumental per-
lection of categories. Aristotle had originally rec- spective may help to reconsider our systems of ideas
ognized ten (substance, quality, quantity, po- and procedures regarding the construction and evalua-
sition, possession, action, relations and oth- tion of indexing languages and the customary classifi-
ers). Ranganathan reduced them to five, cation of documents.
known with the acronym PMEST: personal- We propose greater attention to this topic, because
ity, matter, energy, space and time. His fol- it involves essential theoretical-practical aspects for
lowers have devoted study to either decom- the reasonable command of the theory of concepts by
posing his categories (Husain & Khan,1990) specialists, as well as by lecturers of the corresponding
or to establishing different repertoires. Thus, subjects of the syllabi in our discipline.
the Classification Research Group (CRG) of
London proposed an order based upon the Bibliography
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