property)(object), and thus it is assumed that we will in coding (fairly)
freely combine phenomena, relationships and properties.
Even if we cannot yet facilitate computer navigation across databases,
we might make it easier for humans to navigate across databases [5]. There
is a strongly felt need for standardization of the classification systems
employed by different online databases. As databases multiply but employ
incompatible KOS, the potential productivity impact of developing a
unifying KOS grows exponentially. A system that will be widely used will
have to be easier to master than the KOS employed today for libraries. But
such a system must nevertheless be capable of coping with the complexity
of contemporary information. These requirements suggest (to me at least) a
synthetic approach where simple terms can be combined to generate
complex understandings.