- From: Karl Dubost <karl@w3.org>
- Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 12:11:59 -0400
- To: public-sw-meaning@w3.org
Le mercredi, 24 sep 2003, à 11:33 America/Montreal, Peter F. Patel-Schneider a écrit : > All I'm trying to say here is that A is the same as A, and that there > is no difference here between the Semantic Web and English (or French, > or ...). hmm. ok. I think I understand but it depends if we talk about the meaning of A, the representation of A, the reference of A, >> Will you agree if >> the meaning of the law (the references in the code) were fluctuating >> all the time? > > Huh? This is how the situation really is. The meaning of legal terms > fluctuates all the time and between different people, at least in legal > systems derived from English common law. (The situation with respect > to > the Napoleanic code may be different, at least in principle.) The > debate > over the US constitution is only a very extreme example of this > fluctuation. Let's say: article 123456X of Code FooBar has a reference. There's a reference to this article. when you read it, you usually take the most recent version of the law, because as you said. It has changed. BUT in the article: - you have traces and references to the old versions. - When you evaluate a case which has been committed ten years ago. You can refer to the law at this time. For example: "It was not illegal at this time in the past, and this is the pointer to it." The court will decide after if it has to be judged under the old article or the new ones, use amendment or not, etc. You have a trace of all old meanings. The meaning of a reference doesn't change because it is dated and traced. Though what can change is the interpretation of what people were thinking at this time, when you have centuries between the contemporary reader and the publisher. -- Karl Dubost - http://www.w3.org/People/karl/ W3C Conformance Manager *** Be Strict To Be Cool ***
Received on Wednesday, 24 September 2003 12:12:00 UTC