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Re: [ontolog-forum] An Ontologist's Hippocratic Oath>

To: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Gary Berg-Cross <gbergcross@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2013 11:36:11 -0500
Message-id: <CAMhe4f0uvqrn8jOOA=QmJTJLx=T17zW2vMTvzFeR6GiaKbdZiA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
As usual John makes some good, integrative points that provide perspective:

>I could accept all four of those points, but the qualifier "wherever
>possible" in B1 covers a huge number of widely varying issues. The
>others are standard practice in science and engineering

Yes, indeed  we might be talking about "principles' (and hence oaths) for ontologists working on different parts of the ontology engineering lifecycle.  So we have people who do no harm up front with diagnosis of the problem and what reuse approach might work
and how to monitor the "patient's" progress - to mix the  medical analogy with the software engineering one.

Gary Berg-Cross, Ph.D.  
NSF INTEROP Project  
SOCoP Executive Secretary
Knowledge Strategies    
Potomac, MD
240-426-0770


On Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 10:03 PM, John F Sowa <sowa@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Barry and Gary,

Those two lists are complementary.  Both of them make important points.

Barry's list:

> B1. I hereby swear that I will reuse existing ontology content wherever possible
> B2. I hereby swear that whenever I reuse terms from an existing ontology,
>     I will keep their original source IDs
> B3. I hereby swear that before releasing an ontology I will aggressively
>     test it in multiple independent real-world applications
> B4. I hereby swear that before committing a new term and definition
>     to an ontology I will always think first

I could accept all four of those points, but the qualifier "wherever
possible" in B1 covers a huge number of widely varying issues. The
others are standard practice in science and engineering:

B2 says that it's essential to keep citations to all sources.

B3 requires thorough testing and certification for scientific theories
and engineering practices.  The records of that testing should show
the scope and limits of the theory or practice (range of applicability
and areas where the testing is insufficient or inconclusive).  This
information about scope and limits addresses the "wherever possible"
phrase in B1.

B4 says that terminology is critical, and new terms and definitions
should not be added without a careful review, comparison, and analysis
of existing terminology.  But new discoveries often raise issues and
exceptions where the old terminology and definitions must be revised,
clarified, restricted, or extended.  These issues are also related to
the "wherever possible" phrase.

Gary's list:
> G1. I will remember that I didn't make the world, and it doesn't exist to
>     make my formal ontology and its taxonomies look good.
> G2. Though I will use models boldly to enhance data and information understanding,
>     I will not be overly impressed by them.
> G3. I will never sacrifice reality for elegance without explaining why I have done so.
> G4. Nor will I give the people who use my ontological models false comfort about
>     its accuracy. Instead, I will make explicit its assumptions and oversights.
> G5. I understand (and hope) that if done well my work may eventually have significant
>     effects on information science, society and its economy, many of them beyond
>     my comprehension.

This is the kind of advice that a wise old physician might give to
a young MD or PhD who is full of "book learning", but lacks the
clinical experience about how to apply that learning in an emergency.

G1 through G5 address many of the "wherever possible" issues in B1.
They make the point that all scientific knowledge is fallible.  It may
be certain on well-tested areas, but the limits of applicability are
often uncertain.

I would view the G rules as a commentary about how to interpret and
apply the B rules in varying circumstances.

John



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