Search code examples
rdfsemantic-webowlontologyprotege

Multiple owl:inverseOf with different domains or ranges

owl:inverseOf is often used to define inverse relations between properties. An axiom of the form P1 owl:inverseOf P2 asserts that for every pair (x,y) in the property extension of P1, there is a pair (y,x) in the property extension of P2, and vice versa for example hasChild and hasParent.

How can I define such inverse relationships between object properties with multiple domains and ranges, such as:

hasOwner owl:inverseOf hasDog
hasOwner owl:inverseOf hasCat

Classes: Person, Dog, Cat
ObjectProperties: hasOwner, hasDog, hasCat
    hasOwner:
        Domains: Dog or Cat
        Ranges: Person
    hasDog:
        Domains: Person
        Ranges: Dog
    hasCat:
        Domains: Person
        Ranges: Cat

If I known Mammy hasDog Spike and Mammy hasCat Tom, how can I model the ontology so that the reasoner can infer Spike hasOwner Mammy and Tom hasOwner Mammy?

Solution

  • Forgetting about the incomprehensible restriction that anything that has an owner is either a cat or a dog, you can get closer to a reasonable model with (in Turtle syntax):

    hasDog rdfs:subPropertyOf [ owl:inverseOf hasOwner ] .
hasCat rdfs:subPropertyOf [ owl:inverseOf hasOwner ] .

    This has the non-advantage of not creating a new class name or a new property name.

    PS: I do know things that have an owner and are neither cats nor dogs.