TOWARDS A UNIFIED THEORY OF PROPERTIES IN ENGINEERING DESIGN SCIENCE

This study deals with the current theories of properties that are introduced and presented in the literature of engineering design science. Based on the findings, the paper addresses four fundamental theses, which are separately discussed and commented. Our sole research question aims at amending the basics of the property theory in EDS. The main outcome of this paper is as follows: Definition of the property should be specified and expanded. It should be unambiguous at all abstraction levels of a technical system. Terminology of properties, especially the naming of ontologically important property classes, should be agreed on. The theory should not be limited only to a particular system model but should rather apply to the whole world. It should also address the properties related to the observer and environment, and they should together make a unified and unambiguous system. These amendments will help the theory work in its principal tasks, which are explaining, describing, and evaluating objects and events. Further studies are needed. Likewise, the outcome of this paper should undergo exhaustive discussion within the community of engineering design science.