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Re: [ontology-summit] URIs for quantities, units and scales

To: <steve@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "'David Leal'" <david.leal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Howard.Mason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, ontology-summit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, jjb5@xxxxxxxxxxx
From: Matthew West <dr.matthew.west@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:15:05 -0000
Message-id: <49c3b30d.c5c2f10a.2d59.ffffc054@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Dear Steve,    (01)

> David,
> Very interesting document. I have a question. Shouldn't a self-
> consistent
> ontology be created for units and quantities before the URIs are
> created?    (02)

[MW] You  would think so wouldn't you. But I would argue not. Questions of
what units and quantities are can be treated separately from identifying
them (unless you think they do not exist...)    (03)

> And would the creation of such an ontology be a good target for this
> community (arm in arm with TC12 and others)?    (04)

[MW] Yes that would be the right way to set about it. However, whilst
superficially it looks
like it ought to be an easy area to tackle, it is surprisingly ill
understood in practice from
an ontological point of view.    (05)

Regards    (06)

Matthew West                            
Information  Junction
Tel: +44 560 302 3685
Mobile: +44 750 3385279
matthew.west@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.matthew-west.org.uk/    (07)

This email originates from Information Junction Ltd. Registered in England
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Registered office: 2 Brookside, Meadow Way, Letchworth Garden City,
Hertfordshire, SG6 3JE.    (08)



> 
> - Steve
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Leal [mailto:david.leal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 2:33 AM
> To: steve@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: jjb5@xxxxxxxxxxx; Howard.Mason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; Radack@xxxxxxx;
> dr.matthew.west@xxxxxxxxx; nicolas.figay@xxxxxxxx;
> david.price@xxxxxxxxxxxx;
> michel.bohms@xxxxxx
> Subject: URIs for quantities, units and scales
> 
> Dear Steve,
> 
> The attached document attempts to explain the need for URIs for
> quantities
> units and scales to the standardisation community. The document results
> from
> work within ISO TC184/SC4 and within the W3C Product Modelling XG,
> which
> identified the handling of units of measure on the Web as a key
> priority.
> 
> There has been initial contact with Anders Thor the chair of ISO TC12,
> and
> with ISO CS, but it is difficult to make further progress because it
> impinges upon so many aspects of standardisation.
> 
> The document has consensus as a summary, but David Price points out
> that
> dereferencing URIs for quantities, units and scales is a secondary
> issue,
> and that mentioning it may "frighten the horses".
> 
> Best regards,
> David
> 
>     (09)


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