Jusletter IT

In this paper we hold that the two modes of obligation, in the same way as legal terms, constitute the subject matter of a legal thesaurus. Moreover, we propose to consider three more relations while developing a legal thesaurus and ontology. These are three types of weak relations: dialectical relations, context relations and metaphorical relations. They augment the five types of strong logical relations of synonymy, semi-synonymy, antonymy, hyperonymy/hyponymy and thematic relations. We begin with combinations of ought modes, which result in obligation, permission, liberty and vetum. Then we explore the types of norms by combining structural parts such as condition, ought, which includes subject, modus, action, and object, and also purpose (telos). Thus the types of norms To-Do and To-Be are distinguished.