Reexamining fiat, bona fide, and force dynamic boundaries for geopolitical entities and their placement in DOLCE and BFO

This article reexamines fiat, bona fide, and force dynamic boundaries as they have been applied to geopolitical entities (specifically states and nations) and the classification of geopolitical entities based on the ontological characteristics of their territorial boundaries. It is argued that state territory is always bounded by fiat boundaries and that no bona fide state territory exists. This is due not only to the boundary lines on the surface of the earth lying skew to physical discontinuities, but also because of fiat maritime claims, the three-dimensional structure of the state’s territory, and the ontological distinction between political boundaries and any physical markers that might indicate their presence. Force dynamic boundaries have also been reexamined and their meaning extended beyond a defensive territorial boundary, to areas where an entity is capable of and willing to take aggressive action. The alterations and extensions suggested here make geographic ontology more expressive and better representative of the political phenomena. Finally, the placement of nations, states, territory, and their boundaries in the Descriptive Ontology for Linguistic and Cognitive Engineering (DOLCE) and Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) are considered, compared, and contrasted.