Ontology as Meta-Theory: A Perspective

A significant research program involving the ontology of Mario Bunge has been underway for the past two decades to examine the theoretical underpinnings of information systems. In recent years there has been increasing doubt about founding such a program on a single ontology. This has culminated in an article by Boris Wyssusek in which the whole program of (philosophical) ontology in information systems more generally has been questioned. In this paper we address the question: Is there a role for ontology in information systems? We return to basic principles in addressing this question and in so doing we address the issues raised by Wyssusek’s article.