Page 39 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Knowledge Organization: Classification and Cataloguing Theory

Notes In distillation of Kind 2, the idea occurs in subjects going with a particular basic subject only and
there may be a trend towards the formulation of a new discipline with recognizable literary
warrant and, perhaps, some principles and postulates for guiding its development.

Example: Statistical calculus, operations research, information theory, cybernetics,
foundry, welding, cytology, etc.

2.4.4 Fused Primary Basic Subjects

Interdisciplinary research has led to the emergence of new ideas and new subjects of an
interdisciplinary character. In the initial stage, interdisciplinary subjects may be placed with
one of the primary basic subjects. But later, a classificationist may deem it necessary to postulate
a new primary basic subject. This is thus formed through fusion.

Example: Astrophysics, astrochemistry, astrobiology, biomechanics, biophysics,
biochemistry, geophysics, geochemistry, econometrics, sociocybernetics, etc.

2.4.5 Primary Basic Subject by Clustering

“When an idea becomes the focus of study from the viewpoint of specialists in different subject
fields, and the results of their investigations are brought together in a document, and when
specialists begin to ask for such a collection by the name of the core idea of study, the need arises
to assign the core idea to single basic subject. Further, the treatment of the core idea from
different specialists’ viewpoints may not remain disjunctive and separate, but there may arise
interdisciplinary ideas and subjects, and greater integral relation among the subjects embodied
in the document.”

Example: Japanese studies, Indology, European studies; Gandhian studies, Vinoba studies;
Gold (in all its aspects), peace research, leisure research, surface science, materials science, ocean
sciences, space sciences.

2.4.6 Non-primary Basic Subjects

These are all formed from primary basic subjects. Also, they do not have an independent existence.
We may recognize the following varieties of non-primary basic subjects:
(a) Secondary basic subject by fission of primary basic subject.
(b) Compound basic subject by lamination of Kind 2.
(c) Agglomerate basic subject.

2.4.7 Secondary Basic Subject by Fission of Primary Basic Subject

In the development of subjects, a point is reached when the number and variety of subjects going
with a particular primary basic subject of any one variety (as described earlier) might be too
large, and also non-homogeneous to form a convenient field of specializations. Thus, a further
division may become necessary. The division, by fission, of a field of specialization, going with
a primary basic subject leads to canonical divisions of the primary basic subject concerned.
These divisions have been named as secondary basic subjects of order 1.

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