A Formal Ontology of Texts

Abstract

The paper outlines a formal ontology of texts. The main ontological distinction I try to capture is the difference between tokens of texts (physical texts) and texts (abstract texts) themselves. The latter are understood here as ontologically dependent on the former in the sense spelled out by the axioms of the ontology. I formally characterise both types by means of their criteria of identity and existence, parthood, spatial occupancy, text precedence, and intentionality.