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Re: [ontolog-forum] Fwd: Ontologies and individuals

To: "'[ontolog-forum] '" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "Matthew West" <dr.matthew.west@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:22:37 -0000
Message-id: <50c9ac6f.ec5ab40a.7baf.ffff8300@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Dear Hans,

 

You seem to be approaching this from a 3D perspective.

 

I think the identifiers are of the individuals in the context of specific roles within a larger institutional/social context. They are not identifiers of the roles themselves, since obviously many, if not all, individuals have these same roles.

 

MW: From a 4D perspective the identifiers are of the state of individual that is playing the role, rather than the individual for the whole of its life. For example, a Passport No. or a Driving License No only identifies particular states, not the person for the whole of their lives.

 

Indeed, what identifiers of individuals are there that don’t have a specific context and perspective associated with them?

 

MW: Sometimes identifiers are created with that purpose, a birth certificate number for example.

 

That was why I made the comment “DNA notwithstanding” in my original post. By the way, DNA is not guaranteed to be a unique identifier, either – although evolution has endowed us with facial recognition capabilities that do a pretty good job. Maybe we will all live to see the day of a “context-free” individual identifier implanted in all individuals prior to birth? And what identifiers are inherent in individual entities that are not people? Maybe those laser-engraved serial numbers in some diamonds? Aren’t those put there by or under the aegis of a specific institution?

 

MW: Well this is a different point. The nice thing about unique identifiers is how many of them any individual can have. Being unique only means that within that context the identifier is managed to only refer to one thing. It does not prevent there being other unique identifiers for the same thing, and it does not prevent different identifiers for the same thing using the same scheme (though you might attempt that). For example, a person might try to obtain more than one Social Security Number so they can  commit benefit fraud.

 

The point is that all identities

 

MW: Identity is different from identifier…

 

 

Regards

 

Matthew West                            

Information  Junction

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Skype: dr.matthew.west

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