A semantic network uses a data structure that is organized in such a way that allows a well formed procedure to query and/or perform logical operations more efficiently.
The oldest known semantic network was drawn in the 3rd century AD by the Greek philosopher Porphyry in his commentary on Aristotle's categories. Porphyry used it to illustrate Aristotle's method of defining categories by specifying the genus or general type and the differentiae that distinguish different subtypes of the same supertype.
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