syntax/semantics confusion in 'Syntax' document

"5.1 Classes can be understood as sets of individuals."

This should be something like:

"5.1 Classes represent sets of objects from the domain."
or
"5.1 Classes represent sets of (semantic) individuals."

First, classes are (syntactic) entities, so they can't be understood  
as sets; they must be understood as representing sets.

Second, individuals are also (syntactic) entities, so are almost never  
the members of the sets that classes represent.  The members of the  
sets are the things that the individuals represent.
In calling these "objects from the domain" I am copying terminology  
used in the opening to section 5; (semantic) individual is used  
elsewhere to mean the same thing.

---

"5.3 Object properties connect pairs of individuals."

This has similar problems. What is meant is something like:

"5.3 Object properties represent connections between objects from the  
domain."

or

"5.3 Object properties represent connections between (semantic)  
individuals."

---

"5.4 Data properties connect individuals with literals."

Similarly.  Note that the semantic individual is connected not with a  
literal, but with what the literal represents, which is a "value such  
as a particular string or integer" (quoting section 5.7).

I have not reviewed the entire 'Syntax' document looking for problems  
of this sort.

Best
Jonathan

Received on Monday, 23 March 2009 16:42:25 UTC