Re: Blank nodes, leaning, and the OWA

On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 5:20 AM, Nathan <nathan@webr3.org> wrote:


> ... the Abstract Syntax is defined in terms of lexical and value space
>

For "lexical space" read "language", and for "value space" read "semantic
domain".  Drop the semantic domain, add symbols for blank node -- "_:" is a
good candidate -- and set delimiters -- "{", "}", maybe "," -- then change
the metalanguage to read "an RDF Graph *expression *is a set of RDF Triple *
expressions"*, and you almost have a syntax.  You still need a production
defining the form of an RDF Triple expression.  Add that and you have a
syntax, but you still lack a transformation/derivation/inference rule
allowing you to go from "{a,a}" to "{a}" (where a is a triple expression).

I note in passing that a real syntax would solve the scoping issue, since it
would have to have set construction delimiters in order for "set of RDF
Triple expressions" to be meaningful.

-Gregg