The field of Knowl­edge Organization should recognize additional purposes beyond classifying documents for retrieval. These additional purposes can, in turn, guide us in developing Knowl­edge Organization Systems. A synthetic phenomenon-based approach to classification mirrors ontological reality. It thus allows writers to better comprehend how their own ideas fit within the broader structure of human understanding. It also allows students (and others) to appreciate that every idea they encounter fits within a broader whole; it should enhance their interest and ability to seek information on any topic. Such an approach serves a third purpose of enhancing social justice: Such an approach to classification is both less biased by nature and easier to navigate. There may be other purposes that we could identify which could also inform our development of KOSs.