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Also known as: Reflexivity
A property that relates every individual to itself.
DESCRIPTION
Reflexive properties assert self-relations for all individuals in their domain. Examples include equals and is same individual as. Declaring reflexivity allows reasoners to infer self-links without explicit assertions. Reflexivity commonly appears in equivalence relations alongside symmetry and transitivity. Misuse can introduce meaningless self-links in inappropriate contexts.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
W3C
A property is reflexive if it relates every individual to itself.
Clear OWL-centric definition of reflexivity.
W3C
ReflexiveObjectProperty(P) states that property P is reflexive.
Formal OWL axiom declaration of reflexivity.
Wolfram MathWorld
A relation R is reflexive if xRx holds for all x.
Mathematical definition using relational notation.
RELATED TERMS
Symmetric Property Transitive Property Equivalence Relation Identity OWL Binary Relation Reasoner Class Membership Property Characteristic
COMPETING TERMS
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Semantic & Knowledge Modeling Mathematics Data Modeling
TARGET AUDIENCE
Data Modeler Data Architect Information Analyst
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- Wikipedia - Reflexive relation
- W3C - Primer: reflexive properties
- Apache Jena - Reflexive property support
TOP QUESTIONS
What is a Reflexive Property in OWL?
It ensures every individual is related to itself via the property, enabling self-inferences.
Category: Definition
Why declare reflexivity?
To capture equivalence-like semantics and reduce manual self-assertions.
Category: Relevancy
What’s a mistake with reflexivity?
Using it for properties where self-relations are meaningless, cluttering graphs with trivial assertions.
Category: Mistakes
Does reflexivity imply symmetry?
No; they are independent, though both occur in equivalence relations.
Category: Concept
How to test a reflexive property?
Assign domain, run a reasoner, and verify inferred self-links for instances.
Category: HowTo
What is a real-world reflexive relation?
Equality is reflexive because every entity equals itself.
Category: Example
Can data properties be reflexive?
Reflexivity applies to object properties; data property values are not individuals.
Category: Opinion
What’s the opposite of reflexivity?
Irreflexivity, where no individual relates to itself by the property.
Category: Alternatives
How does reflexivity interact with equivalence relations?
Equivalence relations require reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity together.
Category: Concept