Re: What is the Semantic Web?

On Tue, 10 Aug 2021 at 00:49, Adeel <aahmad1811@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> There are still quite a lot of reservations in industry in the value of
> semantics, ontologies, and knowledge graphs - therefore uptake is slow,
> mostly from data science communities who have a huge bias for machine
> learning. In fact, the bias is so big that some data science communities
> even think machine learning is basically AI. Eventhough, AI is only 30
> percent machine learning and 70 percent computer science, of which semantic
> web falls under the umbrella term of knowledge representation and
> reasoning. They even have a separate area to handle semantics called
> distributional semantics without using the semantic web. Mainly companies
> find it difficult to realize the value of semantic web or that it can add
> significant value during the feature engineering stage of the data science
> method in terms of connected metadata enrichment. In many organizations,
> semantic web is rendered specific to publishing or governance. A lot of
> universities still have a huge bias for teaching machine learning and avoid
> the semantic web and linked data subject even though it is seeped in logic
> from essentially where programming languages have roots. In a lot of
> organizations they also cannot tell the difference between open-world
> assumption vs closed-world assumption so even the knowledge graphs that
> they produce lack a) machine-readable component b) any form of reasoning
> for inference, so end up rending it as a static data model in a graph
> store. One uses semantics from the very step that they use a high-level
> programming language to implement anything - syntax and semantics. And, yet
> we still find in research people trying to find all sorts of ways around
> semantic web to still do semantic analysis work without using semantic web
> - distributional semantics is one such discipline. At its basic, in the
> cloud, semantic web starts from the principles of REST and from the minute
> someone types a URL in their web browser. And, metadata in literally every
> technological software or hardware device. Finding ways of connecting such
> metadata to have context and semantics can only mean a good thing.
>

Hi Adeel

Thanks for a brilliant summary & welcome to the group!

I thoroughly agree with the idea of "a semantic web" vs "The Semantic Web"

In general I think of a semantic web as the web of data, ie something at
its base idea, readable by machines an humans

As you state, there is limited, and inconsistent uptake, depending on which
flavour

I do agree that it starts from web principles of REST, then consideration
of URLs.  In fact, this alone can take you a long way

I think there is also an under appreciation of open vs closed world
assumptions.  I heard someone describe this as truth vs opinion.  I'm not
sure whether that applies, but I found it interesting to think about

Best
Melvin


>
> Thanks,
>
> Adeel
>
> On Mon, 9 Aug 2021 at 23:29, Timothy Holborn <timothy.holborn@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, 6 Aug 2021, 11:39 pm Kingsley Idehen, <kidehen@openlinksw.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On 8/6/21 3:47 AM, Timothy Holborn wrote:
>>>
>>> It still seems important to figure out how to describe to 'unlearned'
>>> people, 'what is semantic web'.
>>>
>>> I guess; essentially, what's kinda required is seemingly something that
>>> addresses the following;
>>>
>>> 1. history of it
>>> 2. purpose of it
>>> 3. support for it / how its presently used (market penetration /
>>> abundance, etc.).
>>> 4. implications of it
>>> 5. evolution of it (ie: non-http URIs?, etc.).
>>>
>>> perhaps ideally also
>>> - differences from RDBMS
>>> - Relationship to 'AI'
>>> - 'unmet challenges' as told by 'tech inventors' (meaning - an
>>> opportunity to seek-out some shared values statements about the purpose of
>>> our works, for humanity, for our biosphere, for the betterment of good).
>>>
>>> any links?  or is anyone interested in collaborating on producing
>>> something that's useful for others?
>>>
>>> (NB: i note the former emails, but haven't had time to respond yet).
>>>
>>> more broadly; my thinking is, that communicating these sorts of things
>>> (leading to conversations about 'ontologies', etc.) may be part of the more
>>> important steps involved in progressing works, towards a future (world/web)
>>> we want.
>>>
>>> Moreover also; that parts of what is thought of as RWW (by those
>>> involved from so many years ago) may also be woven into the consideration /
>>> deliberations, provided by the 'what' as to better explain the 'why'.
>>>
>>> Historically; W3C has played a vital role (and will continue to do so)
>>> with respect to patent pool creation and governance as to support future
>>> ambitiously targeted outcomes - such as retaining 'freedom of thought' as
>>> may otherwise be influenced by WWW related technologies including 'AI'.
>>>
>>> Yet, i'm not sure there's much that now needs patent pool creation /
>>> approval / consolidation / consensus.  Overall, it seems that there's a
>>> strategic, tactical and pragmatic process of improving documentation that's
>>> kinda distinct to seeking royalty free use of intellectual property that's
>>> critically important for the protection of human rights / freedom of
>>> thought / rule of law / liberalised democracies, etc.
>>>
>>> If i'm mistaken, let me know; but IMO, tech in and of itself is
>>> ideologically agnostic. Therein, (imo) the widespread deployment of tech;
>>> provides a fairly comprehensive basis to consider how 'SemWeb tech' could
>>> be used; without necessarily illustrating (or documenting) other (better?)
>>> ways it could be used.
>>>
>>> Timothy Holborn
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There is ample material on the Web that answers this question, IMHO.
>>>
>>> Personally, I believe focus needs to move towards using "a Semantic Web"
>>> (rather than "The Semantic Web") since definitions (like specs) aren't a
>>> magic-bullet for mass understanding, uptake, and application exploitation.
>>>
>>
>> Perhaps therein is a concept linked to a persons own 'semantic web' and a
>> future interoperable Federation of many...?
>>
>> I have a prosthetic eye, few understand the implications of prosthetics;
>> yet increasingly many would be lost without their phones.
>>
>> Timh.
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Links:
>>>
>>> [1]
>>> https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-Semantic-Web/answer/Kingsley-Uyi-Idehen
>>> -- What is the Semantic Web?
>>>
>>> [2]
>>> https://medium.com/virtuoso-blog/linked-data-ontologies-and-knowledge-graphs-a3d0ad6d6f66
>>> -- Linked Data, Ontologies, and Knowledge Graphs
>>>
>>> [3]
>>> https://medium.com/openlink-software-blog/semantic-web-layer-cake-tweak-explained-6ba5c6ac3fab
>>> -- Semantic Web Layer Cake Explained
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Kingsley Idehen 
>>> Founder & CEO
>>> OpenLink Software
>>> Home Page: http://www.openlinksw.com
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>>>
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>>>
>>>
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