Re: [ontolog-forum] Next steps in using ontologies as standards

["Chris Partridge" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi John,

 

The simple answer to your question is that it has no effect whatsoever, as the details of languages such as RDF and CL are not relevant to the kind of work I do.

 

A less simple answer would have to do with the relationship between logic (inference) and ontology. Traditionally logic studies inference and ontology existence. (I realise that in CS ontology (or as Pat called it WC3 ontology) inference plays a big part.)

 

My interest is not in web pages, but in large operational systems, such as foreign exchange settlement or air traffic control systems, and I think this understandably places different demands on what is required. In this case, I believe that often the first question is ‘what is the information in the system about?’ rather than how to represent it. One can look at the system as ontically committing to a set of objects (for me (and many philosophers), this set would be its ontology) and the analysis is about understanding what these are. Once you understand this, you can start worrying about how to represent it.

 

My experience (and the people I have worked with) has been that when the system becomes large a lack of a clear and accurate understanding of what this ‘ontology’ is makes it difficult to build the system. For those familiar with the ‘managing complexity’ problem in software development, I find that one of the root causes of this is the lack of a sufficiently clear ontology. Furthermore, when one comes to specify these operational systems, one finds that there is little need for complex logical inference (though there is often a need for complex processing). This may be a flaw in the people drawing up the requirements, but it is the case at the moment.

 

Regards,

Chris

 

From: ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Black
Sent: 22 January 2009 11:25
To: [ontolog-forum]
Subject: Re: [ontolog-forum] Next steps in using ontologies as standards

 

Thanks Chris, a new copy of the 2cnd edition of your book has been dispatched air mail from the UK.

I'm wondering if you have any sense of how the changes to RDF and CL that Pat Hayes mentioned regarding using logic in a 'type-free' way would affect the use of the BORO method?

Thanks,
John Black



Chris Partridge wrote:

John,

 

I think it is only on the UK site.

 

Try here.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Business-Objects-Re-engineering-Chris-Partridge/dp/0955060303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232538471&sr=8-1

 

Chris

 

From: ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Black
Sent: 21 January 2009 11:24
To: [ontolog-forum]
Subject: Re: [ontolog-forum] Next steps in using ontologies as standards

 

I looked on Google then both Amazon and on the BoroCentre.com and I couldn't find a copy of the second edition of this book. So I ordered a copy of the first edition. Anyone know where to get a copy of the second edition? Also, the PDF download on borocentre.com doesn't seem to work.

thanks,
John Black

Len Yabloko wrote:

Matthew, 

Thank your for paying proper respect to this great book and to Chris.

Now that you did it, I would like to claim the honor of referring it to this forum first :-) in following message

http://ontolog.cim3.net/forum/ontolog-forum/2008-09/msg00196.html

I would also like to mention the product that I began developing after reading his book and largely inspired by it. Thank you Chris!

Len Yabloko, Owner/CEO

Next Generation Software

www.ontospace.net

Dear Colleagues,

Well with all this talk of "Chris's Book" let's at least give a proper

reference.

Partridge, C. Business objects: re-engineering for re-use,

Butterworth-Heinemann, (second edition) 2005, The Boro Centre

I recommend it too.

Of course all this talk of extensionalism means that you are 4D. But that is

the price of simplicity.

Regards

Matthew West

http://www.matthew-west.org.uk/ 

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