At 03:58 PM 4/22/2007, Obrst, Leo J. wrote:
>I agree this is better, John. However, I do know that I can't use this
>for the typical audiences I present ontologies to. "Theories", they
>think they understand because they've heard the word as referring to
>scientific theories, but they don't really know what a theory is.
>
>So I start off using "concept" and tell them simultaneously that it is
>a placeholder for the thing in the world, etc. Then I build up to
>theories, in fact logical theories. (01)
So ontologies CONTAIN concepts which REFER to THINGS (Entities) in the world?
If so, how do concepts relate to TERMS (expressions in a language).
Am I right in thinking that you want a 3-level theory, here, with
concepts serving as intermediaries between terms and entities?
If so, why is this intermediary level necessary? How does it help?
How, in particular, does it help pedagogically, given that
(demonstrably) people find the term 'concept' so difficult to understand?
BS (02)
>For advanced audiences like most of the Ontolog Forum, you can get more
>precise and can dispense with much pedogogy.
>
>Thanks,
>Leo
>
>
>_____________________________________________
>Dr. Leo Obrst The MITRE Corporation, Information Semantics
>lobrst@xxxxxxxxx Center for Innovative Computing & Informatics
>Voice: 703-983-6770 7515 Colshire Drive, M/S H305
>Fax: 703-983-1379 McLean, VA 22102-7508, USA
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ontology-summit-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:ontology-summit-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John F.
>Sowa
>Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 1:58 AM
>To: Ontology Summit 2007 Forum
>Subject: Re: [ontology-summit]
>OntologyFrameworkDraftStatementfortheOntology Summit
>
>Bill and Leo,
>
>The matter at hand is not a philosophical question about
>the word 'concept', but a practical problem about designing
>computer systems.
>
>We may all have varying opinions on the subject, but one thing
>is very clear: words like 'concept' and 'conceptualization'
>are creating more confusion than clarification. Attempting to
>define such words will involve endless debate, and we're not
>going to resolve the issues before the meeting at NIST.
>
>My recommendation is to avoid using the word 'concept' and its
>cognates. If anybody feels the need for it, please send me
>the sentence in which it occurs, and I promise to send a much
>clearer restatement that avoids the word.
>
>For example, note the following definition of 'an ontology',
>which I extracted from the Merriam-Webster Third Unabridged
>Dictionary:
>
> a theory concerning the kinds of entities and specifically
> the kinds of abstract entities to be admitted to a language
> system.
>
>This definition uses much simpler and clearer words than the
>word that is being defined. The word 'concept' is definitely
>not clear, and there is no need for any such word to be used
>in any formal definition.
>
>John
>
>
>
>
>
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