Re: complementOf -> viewOf: proposed text

Paolo,

Summary:  I think we are in agreement.  I may need to re-check the text to make 
sure it doesn't still lead me to one of the misunderstandings from my earlier 
message.

On 12/01/2012 10:06, Paolo Missier wrote:
> Graham
>
> sorry for letting this slip. To recall, the context is that I am tasked with
> fixing the alternateOf section of PROV-DM.
>
> I have a few comments to yours and Khalid's. Original text copied where needed.
>
> My main comment is that I like your axiomatization of the two relations, but it
> seems to lead to properties that are not exactly what we want. But there is a
> simple fix.

:)

> Specifically:
>
>> In other words, what I am suggesting is that:
>> specializationOf(e1,e2) implies alternateOf(e1,e2)
> that's fine, I have no problems with that.
>
>> *BUT*, this is not what the current text allows, since specializationOf is
>> defined to be anti-symmetric, which means that it is also anti-reflexive:
>>
>> forall (a, b) : specializationOf(a,b) => not specializationOf(b,a)
>>
>> setting b = a we see that specializationOf(a,a) must be false, since its truth
>> would give rise to a contradiction.
> not really. Anti-symmetry is defined differently. I hate to quote wikipedia, as
> I don't have the provenance of the content handy :-), but it's just convenient, so:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisymmetric_relation
>
> basically, an anti-symmetric relation can be reflexive so that's not a problem.

That would be good.  From memory, I wasn't going so much by a definition of 
"antisymmetry" but because I though the text was suggesting something like the 
implication above.  But if that's not intended, we can focus on making sure the 
text doesn't confuse.

> More interestingly, about transitivity of alternateOf(): I believe we can still
> save your axiomatization:
>> alternativeOf(a, b) == exists (c) :
>> specializationOf(a,c) and
>> specializationOf(b,c)
> just by insisting that the set of all entities forms a lattice. In fact, we only
> need an upper semi-lattice.

Yes, I think that's about where I'd got to, but I wasn't sure how to axiomatize 
that cleanly.

> This does not ensure that
>> specializationOf(x, y) or specializationOf(y, x)
> but it does ensure that for each x,y, there is some z such that
>
> specializationOf(x, z) and specializationOf(y, z). alternateOf(a,c) follows.
>
> Having a top element is quite natural in class hierarchies (see owl:Thing). But
> this should come as no surprise as all we are doing is re-invent class
> hierarchies with a a top element.
>
> So in summary:
> - I am fine with your axiomatization, plus the easy condition that entities form
> an upper semi-lattice.
> - I think it belongs in PROV-SEM
> - I am inclined to keep the properties of the two relations as they are.
>
> (and yes, more specific may be better than more concrete).
>
> are we in agreement?

On the basis of what you say here, yes.

Thanks.

#g
--

> On 1/6/12 4:44 PM, Graham Klyne wrote:
>> Paolo,
>>
>> I've now looked at the text and am happy with the direction, but have some
>> niggles with the details...
>>
>> First a nit: you say e1 and e2 provide a more *concrete* characterization than
>> e1. I would say more *specific* rather than more *concrete*.
>>
>> For the rest, using Using Khalid's comments as a spingboard:
>>
>> On 05/01/2012 18:43, Khalid Belhajjame wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> The new Alternate and Specialization records seem to make sense to me.
>>>
>>> - Looking at the definitions of *specializationOf* and *alternateOf*, I for few
>>> seconds was wondering if it is a good idea to define a more general relationship
>>> that simply says that two entity records are representations of the same entity,
>>> without specifying if there is difference in abstraction or context. But, I
>>> changed my mind as a result, and I now think that the general relationship that
>>> I was looking for is *alternateOf* itself. Indeed, such a relationship seems to
>>> be usable in both cases, i.e., different abstractions and/or different contexts.
>>> In other words, what I am suggesting is that:
>>> specializationOf(e1,e2) implies alternateOf(e1,e2)
>> >
>> > Does that make sense?
>> >
>>
>> I think this depends on how the definitions are set up.
>>
>> I see specializationOf as a primnitive using which alternativeOf can be defined:
>>
>> alternativeOf(a, b) == exists (c) :
>> specializationOf(a,c) and
>> specializationOf(b,c)
>>
>> My preference is for specializationOf to be reflexive; i.e.
>>
>> forall (a) : specializationOf(a, a)
>>
>> your result follows from this:
>>
>> given:
>> specializationOf(e1,e2) [per premise]
>> specializationOf(e2,e2) [per reflexivity]
>>
>> we set a=e1, b=e2, c=e2 to satisfy the RHS of alternativeOf definition, hence
>> have alternativeOf(e1, e2) as you suggest.
>>
>>
>> *BUT*, this is not what the current text allows, since specializationOf is
>> defined to be anti-symmetric, which means that it is also anti-reflexive:
>>
>> forall (a, b) : specializationOf(a,b) => not specializationOf(b,a)
>>
>> setting b = a we see that specializationOf(a,a) must be false, since its truth
>> would give rise to a contradiction.
>>
>> Which in turn means that the above proof of your suggested inference does not
>> hold.
>>
>> ...
>>
>> So my question is this: is there any particular reason to require anti-symmetry
>> of specializationOf?
>>
>> (An alternative would be to modify the definition of alternativeOf, thus:
>>
>> alternativeOf(a, b) == exists (c) :
>> (specializationOf(a,c) or a = c) and
>> (specializationOf(b,c) or b = c)
>>
>> Absent and particular reason to do otherwise, I'd rather go with the simpler
>> definitions.)
>>
>>
>>> - *alternateOf* is transitive.
>> I think it should be, but let's see how this plays:
>>
>> alternativeOf(a, b) == exists (x) :
>> specializationOf(a,x) and
>> specializationOf(b,x)
>>
>> alternativeOf(b, c) == exists (y) :
>> specializationOf(b,y) and
>> specializationOf(c,y)
>>
>> If we can show specializationOf(x, y) or specializationOf(y, x) then the result
>> can be derived using transitivity of specializationOf and the definition of
>> alternativeOf.
>>
>> We have:
>> specializationOf(b,x) and
>> specializationOf(b,y)
>>
>> Intuitively a specializationOf relation holds between x and y as their is a
>> single non-branching path from b to the "top" of the specialization tree. But I
>> think we need more stated constraints to derive this.
>>
>> Right now, I'm not sure how best to capture this, and am thinking that simply
>> asserting the required relation would be easiest; i.e.
>>
>> specializationOf(b,x) and
>> specializationOf(b,y)
>> |=
>> specializationOf(x,y) or specializationOf(y,x)
>>
>> (If specialization is anti-reflexive, we need to add "or x = y" to the above
>> constraint.)
>>
>> Or maybe:
>>
>> specializationOf(b,x) and
>> specializationOf(b,y)
>> |=
>> exists (z) : specializationOf(x,z) and specializationOf(y,z)
>>
>> An alternative would be to not care about this, in which case alternativeOf is
>> not inferrable from specializationOf. Does this actually matter?
>>
>> #g
>> --
>>
>>> On 15/12/2011 15:25, Paolo Missier wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> in response to the comments about complementarity on the wiki and on the list,
>>>> we have prepared a revised version of the section,
>>>> where "complementarity" disappears in favour of "viewOf", and the definition
>>>> is hopefully simplified and more in line with the
>>>> expectations:
>>>> http://dvcs.w3.org/hg/prov/raw-file/default/model/ProvenanceModel.html#record-complement-of
>>>>
>>>> (the anchor name hasn't changed :-))
>>>>
>>>> this is for feedback as per today's agenda
>>>>
>>>> atb -Paolo
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>
>

Received on Thursday, 12 January 2012 18:38:19 UTC