Dear John, (01)
> Most of the practical applications of ontologies will be used for
> things that could be called "systems". But I agree with Matthew
> that trying to distinguish artifacts from naturally occurring
> things (i.e., created by physical processes and nonhuman organisms)
> is not at all clear. Furthermore, many systems (e.g., agricultural)
> include living organisms. And before businesses were computerized,
> they had "Systems and Procedures" departments that specified a
> "system" whose components were human beings -- including human
> "computers".
>
> MW> The two things that characterise a system for me are:
> >
> > 1. It has a function/capability/purpose.
> >
> > 2. Has parts that can be replaced by functionally equivalent
> parts.
>
> I'm happy with that definition. But I'd like to point out that
> according to that definition, the human body is a system. (02)
[MW] That was deliberate. Humans both are systems and can be parts of
systems. (03)
Regards (04)
Matthew West
Information Junction
Tel: +44 560 302 3685
Mobile: +44 750 3385279
matthew.west@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.matthew-west.org.uk/ (05)
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