“Good Guys” and “Bad Guys” – The Importance of Ontology in the Advancement of Science, Law, and Public Policy

A recent paper submitted to the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that the “good guys” in superhero films engage in more violent acts than the villains. Who decided which characters were good or bad? What ontological principals where used? Did they ask fans who they thought were the good guys or bad guys? Or did a small number of scientists define good and evil for themselves? The answers to these questions have direct bearing on the validity of this study’s conclusions. The importance of taxonomy is seldom discussed in polite scientific company, but has great impact on law, public policy and science. In this talk Frank Branch, will discuss the critical role information architects and ontologists need to play in defining these taxonomies and in forcing these conversations to happen openly.