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Re: [ontolog-forum] Visual Complexity

To: Christopher Menzel <cmenzel@xxxxxxxx>
Cc: "[ontolog-forum] " <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Pat Hayes <phayes@xxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 14:04:53 -0600
Message-id: <p0623090ec1efe0f0c25e@[10.100.0.26]>
>Attachment converted: betelguese2:mthworl2 1.gif (GIFf/«IC») (000E4A31)
>
>
>John, it is your use of "approximation" to 
>characterize ALL models without exception here 
>that I object to.  Of course, depending on what 
>it in the world one is trying to represent, a 
>model *might* necessarily be an approximation, 
>especially if one is modeling physical phenomena 
>that are inherently vague or (in effect) 
>infinitely complex and hence which simply cannot 
>be represented with 100% accuracy.  Consider, 
>e.g., modeling a stochastic process or fluid 
>flow by means of probability theory or 
>differential equations.    (01)

For the record, I agree, of course. Tarskian 
models can be platonic, and can be simplified 
"models" (sense 2) of reality. But they can also 
be actually made up from real parts of the real 
world.    (02)

>However, many physical situations involve, *at a 
>desired level of granularity*, NO vagueness and 
>NO intractable complexity at all, as in my 
>previous example involving faculty and 
>administrators at Texas A&M.  Many ontologies 
>involve this kind of sharply delineated, 
>unambiguously representable information.  Your 
>diagram above belies this fact and suggests that 
>models are always in some way false or 
>inaccurate.  It just ain't so.    (03)

Quite.    (04)

Pat
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