Re: [ontolog-forum] [ontology-summit] Estimating number of all known fac

[Alexander Titov <av_titov@xxxxxxxxx>]

"History is written by the victors."
-- ? Winston Churchill (unconfirmed)
 

That reminds me a poem "Blind Man and the Elephant" by John Godfrey Saxe

http://www.wordfocus.com/word-act-blindmen.html

We force other people to accept our perceptions stating that our view correctly reflects the "facts" or "state of affairs in the world".

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

Ed Barkmeyer

25 May 2012 15:57

"History is written by the victors."
-- ? Winston Churchill (unconfirmed)

"History is mostly just bunk."
-- Henry Ford


-Ed

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