Relations in Chains

Abstract

The criticisms made against chain indexing are reviewed, and PRECIS briefly considered as a possible ( but improbable) general substitute for indexing. The failures of chain indexing arise mainly from an inherited overemphasis on generic relationships, encouraged by careless use of the term 'chain'. The use of symbols to represent relations between terms is suggested for the chain index, to emphasize syntagmatic relations and prevent ambiguity. These relation ships can be used to manipulate the index terms into likely additional index approaches, employing the logical concepts of Symmetry and Transitivity which derive from a structure inherent between relations, a sort of 'metarelations'. The transitivity of the relations of Action or Property to Object over the relation of Material to Object are particularly con sidered, and clues to this relational structure obtained from Aristotle's theory of causation.