Subclass of:

CRM Entity

Superclass of:

Condition State
Period

Subclass of:

CRM Entity

Superclass of:

Stuff
Contact Point
Appellation
Actor

New Scope note:

E77 Persistent Item encompasses (and thereby isolates) entities which share two attributes: having the potential to exist over a period of time, and having persistent identity during this period of existence. These attributes are intended to apply to both concrete objects, whether animate or inanimate and to ideas or concepts. Hypothetical or imaginary objects fall within this category insofar as they can be considered as conceptual objects i.e. E77 Persistent Item is not intended to be restricted to physical existence. Persistent Items are also called endurants.

The conditions under which an object can be deemed to maintain its identity are often difficult to establish - the decision depends largely on the judgement of the observer. Most people would agree, for example, that a building ceases to exist if it is dismantled and the materials reused in a different configuration. Human beings, on the other hand, in common with many other organisms, go through radical and profound changes during their life-span, affecting both material composition and form, yet preserve their identity. But also material objects in daily use also undergo material changes due to maintenance etc. without changing identity. Identity in these cases would seem to depend more on continuity rather than the presence of any particular physical state or component.

The main classes of objects which fall outside the scope of E77 Persistent Item are Temporal Entities such as periods, events and
acts, and descriptive properties, (such as dimensions) which function as adjectives and adverbs. The latter depend in there identity on the object they are assigned to. The former acquire an identity only through the changes participating Persistent Items undergo, but not out of their own form or substance. We regard them as disjoint from Temporal Entities.

Subclass of:

Legal Object

Superclass of:

Physical Object
Physical Man-Made Stuff
Physical Feature

Scope note:

Physical stuff is an abstract notion that groups all physical objects, man-made and natural, as well as physical features of objects, such as holes. We use the term 'feature' to refer to anything of a material nature, such as scratches, holes, rivers, and stains, which it would be strange to refer to as ?objects?.

New Scope note:

Physical stuff is an abstract notion that groups all physical objects, man-made and natural, as well as physical features of objects, such as holes. We use the term 'feature' to refer to anything of a material nature, such as scratches, holes, rivers, and stains, which it would be strange to refer to as ?objects?. Physical stuff is disjoint from E28 Conceptual Object, the immaterial products. The latter are exclusively man-made. Physical stuff can only be present at one place at a time, whereas conceptual objects may be present at multiple places at a time via multiple physical carriers. Physical stuff ceases to exist by destruction, whereas conceptual objects ceases to exist by loss of the last carrier or by forgetting.
Examples: Me, the Cave of Dirou in Peloponnese, the Euphrat River, Lassie the dog, the logbook of the Endeavor.

Subclass of:

Man-Made Stuff

Superclas of:

Right
Information Object
Type

Scope note:

This entity is the attempt to group the non-material products of our minds, and specifically to allow for reasoning about their identity, circumstances of creation and historical implications. Characteristically, these things are created, invented or thought, and somehow documented or communicated between persons. Conceptual objects need not have a particular carrier, but may be found on several different carriers, such as paper, electronic signals, marks, audio media, paintings, photos, human memory, etc. They cannot be destroyed as long as they exist on at least one carrier or in memory. Examples include texts, maps, photos, music, sounds, fairy tales, signs, patterns, symbols, plans, rights, and rules. A greater distinction could be made between products having a clear identity, such as a specific text, or photographs, and the ideas and concepts shared and traded by groups of people.

New Scope Note:

This entity is the attempt to group the non-material products of our minds and of technical processes such as image taking, and specifically to allow for reasoning about their identity, circumstances of creation and historical implications. Characteristically, these things are created, invented or thought, and somehow documented or communicated between persons and technical means of communication. Conceptual objects need not have a particular carrier, but may be found on several different carriers, such as paper, electronic signals, marks, audio media, paintings, photos, human memory, etc. They cannot be destroyed as long as they exist on at least one carrier or in memory. Examples include texts, maps, photos, music, sounds, fairy tales, signs, patterns, symbols, plans, rights, rules, types, taxa and other concepts. A greater distinction is made between products having a clear identity, such as a specific text, or photographs, the Information Objects and the ideas and concepts shared and traded by groups of people. Conceptual objects are disjoint from physical stuff, the material things. The latter may be man-made or not. Physical stuff can only be present at one place at a time, whereas conceptual objects may be present at multiple places at a time via multiple physical carriers.
Examples: The contents of "Definition of the CIDOCobject-oriented Conceptual Reference Model, version 3.3.2, Sept.2002", the copyright by CIDOC on the latter, the species fringilla coelebs, the sound track of The Beatles "Yellow Submarine", Albrecht Durer's signature, Unicorn.