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

To: ian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Ed Barkmeyer <edbark@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:46:09 -0500
Message-id: <497A2C91.1030108@xxxxxxxx>
Ian Bailey wrote:    (01)

> Funnily enough, there was a chap on BBC Radio 4 this week discussing
> scientific hubris. Turns out that throughout history there has been a
> tendency to compare the latest gizmo with the human brain - powered looms,
> steam engines, telephone switchboards, computers, etc.     (02)

I don't see the analogy in steam engines, but all of the other examples 
are technologies that replaced some form of human decision making, 
however mundane, with an automaton.  And ultimately, BTW, that is the 
purpose of _most_ knowledge engineering.    (03)

>  I wonder what the
> next thing will be ?   Anyone responding with "The Semantic Web" must surely
> be banned from this forum for life.    (04)

Oh, but the Semantic Web can't possibly be the Next Thing, because too 
many people have already taken credit for it.  If you want your 15 
minutes of fame, you've got to find a new buzzword, with some halfway 
credible concept that can be generalized to dozens of other related 
research and development activities in funding proposals.  ;-)    (05)

-Ed    (06)

-- 
Edward J. Barkmeyer                        Email: edbark@xxxxxxxx
National Institute of Standards & Technology
Manufacturing Systems Integration Division
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8263                Tel: +1 301-975-3528
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8263                FAX: +1 301-975-4694    (07)

"The opinions expressed above do not reflect consensus of NIST,
  and have not been reviewed by any Government authority."    (08)

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