A triple is not unique.

The triples in my computer are different from the triples in
your computer.  If I assert to my computer:

<description about="uri1">
  <foo>uri2</foo>
</description>

I will have the triple [uri1, foo, uri2] in my computer.  If
you read the RDF statement above, you will have the same
triple in your computer. Now if I refer to a triple with the
syntax:

<description>
  <type>statement</type>
  <subject>uri1</subject>
  <property>foo</property>
  <object>uri2</object>
</description>

to which triple do I refer, mine or yours?  Obviously, I
must be referring to a class of objects with those triples 
- just like when I say dog, I am referring to a class of
objects and not the particular one named Rover lounging at
my feet.  But what If I *want* to refer to a particular
triple, like I refer to Rover?  What if I want to refer to
the particular triple [uri1, foo, uri2] which also has the
triple [uri1, bar, uri3] associated with it?  Well I can't
find any way to do that in the RDF specification.  May I
propose that the best way to reify a  *particular* statement
is to give it a uri that can be dereferenced to that
particular statement.  Maybe something like the following:

<description about="uri1">
  <foo ident="stid:robustai.net#20001118a">uri2</foo>
  <bar>uri3</bar>
</description>

Now I can refer to that particular statement with:

<description about="stid:robustai.net#20001118a">
  <type>statement</type>
  <subject>uri1</subject>
  <property>foo</property>
  <object>uri2</object>
</description>

Seth Russell
http://robustai.net/~seth/index.htm
authorOf: http://robustai.net/ai/Oedipus.htm

Received on Saturday, 18 November 2000 11:55:11 UTC