ontolog-forum
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [ontolog-forum] What do ontologies have to do with meaning?

To: Internet Business Logic <ibl@xxxxxxxx>, "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Mike Brenner <mikeb@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 2004 15:28:47 -0400
Message-id: <40C21EEF.CC1909BF@xxxxxxxxx>
Hi Adrian,    (01)

You are right! I am ruling out the part 
I don't understand (conceptual forms).    (02)

Thanks for the reference below. I liked the beginnings of
a definition of "semantic distance measure" in that example 
in that briefing.    (03)

I also liked the idea of an ontology-related 
subset of English ("meta-English") because reading
RDF or OWL format of the triples is too hard for
people and for most software.    (04)

Maybe someday I'll see how those techniques
can work with hazy areas like partial definitions, 
approximate definitions, partial contexts, 
and multiple contexts. I am just a beginner in this area.    (05)

Mike    (06)


> Internet Business Logic wrote:
> 
> Mike -
> 
> You wrote...
> 
> ...I would like a "true meaning", by which I mean
> a clustering of information showing how the literal meaning
> maps to the multiple contexts. That mapping
> includes constraints, dependencies, and effects
> from partially defined and partially related chains of symbols.
> 
> ...I don't see meaning as related to conceptual forms in
> the mind of the reader, but rather to physical forms which
> are the context in which the communication takes place.
> 
> Your first para above sounds right on, but in the second para you are
> perhaps ruling out something crucial -- something that could be ruled in
> without affecting para one.
> 
> There's a practical, nuts-and-bolts problem with "I don't see meaning as 
>related to conceptual forms in the mind of the reader".  Consider a situation 
>in which a manufacturer's machine does business
> with a machine belonging to a retailer.  The two machines could propose
> to arrive at all kinds of intricate deals with each other.
> 
> If the manufacturer's and retailer's business people are to understand,
> and approve or block such deals, there has to be a reliable way of
> placing valid conceptual forms in the minds of those people.  Having
> them read RDF, or having a technical person read RDF for them, simply
> will not do. In contexts other than manufacturing, lives -- rather than
> dollars -- could be at risk.
> 
> In the real world, one widely used way of placing valid conceptual forms
> in peoples' minds is the English language.
> 
> The "Semantic Web Presentation" at www.reengineeringllc.com explores a tight 
>coupling of reasonably human-friendly English to
> technical ontology notations, and proposes a solution in an implemented
> system.
> 
> There may be better solutions, but least the proposed one can serve as a
> straw man.
> 
>                                 Cheers,  -- Adrian
> --
> 
> Internet Business Logic  --  online at www.reengineeringllc.com
> 
> Reengineering LLC,  PO Box 1412,  Bristol,  CT 06011-1412,  USA
> 
> Phone 860 583 9677     Mobile 860 830 2085     Fax 860 314 1029    (07)

_________________________________________________________________
Message Archives: http://ontolog.cim3.net/forum/ontolog-forum/
Subscribe/Unsubscribe/Config: 
http://ontolog.cim3.net/mailman/listinfo/ontolog-forum/
Shared Files: http://ontolog.cim3.net/file/
Community Wiki: http://ontolog.cim3.net/wiki/ 
To Post: mailto:ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx    (08)

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>