Re: [ontolog-forum] Foundation ontology, CYC, and Mapping

["John F. Sowa" <sowa@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Len,    (01)

I was only trying to state the obvious.    (02)

JFS>> 1. A computer cannot do anything with "intended meanings" in the
 >> head of some programmer or some human being who runs the  program.    (03)

LY>  This is true of any intelligent agents (human or not)...    (04)

That is all I was trying to say.    (05)

JFS>> 2. The only meanings that are relevant to the computer are the
 >> ones that are embodied in the programs that the computer runs.    (06)

LY> That would correspond to strictly deductive reasoning.  But...    (07)

There are no buts.  All I was saying is that a computer can't do
anything it has not been programmed to do.  If you don't put the
meaning into the programs it runs, the computer won't use it.    (08)

JFS>> 4. If we want to use an ontology to ensure interoperability those
 >> specifications must be so precisely defined that any two coders
 >> (human or machine) will generate equivalent machine code.    (09)

LY> I disagree. First of all how precisely is "so precisely" can not be
 > determined up-front....    (010)

Precision is always domain-dependent.  For the word 'spherical',
it depends on whether you're making meatballs or ball bearings.    (011)

For many centuries, engineers have determined up front the level
of precision needed for any application they work on.  Knowledge
engineering is no different.    (012)

JFS>> 5. Words like 'primitive' are so vaguely defined that they provide
 >> little or no guidance to programmers...    (013)

LY> In my view 'primitive' simply stands for unit of context...    (014)

That's different from what Pat C was saying, and it's just as vague.
It confirms my point that the word creates more confusion than clarity.    (015)

John    (016)


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