capability

IRI: https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/construct/Capability

Defined In: https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/core/Core/

SubClass Of: bfo:disposition

Class Hierarchy

owl:Thing › bfo:entity › bfo:continuant › bfo:specifically dependent continuant › bfo:realizable entity › bfo:disposition › capability

Direct subclasses:

• agential capability
• bfo:function
• measurement capability
• production capability
• storage capability
• system capability

Definition

disposition in whose realization some agent has an interest

Explanatory Notes

1. Whereas the BFO term ‘disposition refers to all tendencies, powers, habits, skills, potentials, and so forth, that a material entity may possess, a Capability narrows this down by requiring the existence of an Agent that has an interest in the realization of the capability

2. This definition does not attempt to capture “task-based” capabilities that an entity may bear – e.g., a stone’s capability to kill when used by some person. Rather, it captures “proper capabilities.” See related discussion of “proper functions” in the literature.

3. All functions are capabilities and in a future release BFO:Function will be asserted directly under capability.

4. Not all capabilities are functions. Capabilities are often added to an artifact by the designer/engineer, or to a biological entity through evolution, as “additional benefits,” and are differentiated from function (i.e., purpose). Examples: the air conditioner in your car is a capability but not the function of your car. Yet the function of the car air conditioner certainly forms some material basis of your car’s ability to provide a comfortable experience. The ability of your heart to beat fast to support your need to run fast to escape a threat. The decaying stick on the forest lawn does not have the function to be used as a tool, but certainly a chimpanzee may have an interest in using a stick to extract food from a termite mound.

Examples

• Capability of a person to play chess at the “master” level; of a team to play football in the professional league; of a lathe to turn at maximal speed of 4,000 RPM; or of your digestive system to digest tiramisu.

Synonyms

• ability

Adapted From

• http://www.ontologyrepository.com/CommonCoreOntologies/Mid/AgentOntology

Primitive Class

This class is declared primitive and it does not have necessary and sufficient condiftions defined.

Primitive Rationale

This concept will be further developed and formalized in a future release of BFO.

Formal Axioms

First-Order Logic Axioms

Capability(x) → Disposition(x)

Semi-Formal Natural Language Axioms

if x is a ‘capability’ then x is a ‘disposition’

Description Logic

constr:Capability ⊑ bfo:disposition

SubClassOf: bfo:disposition