RE: Data Model question - using a subject as a predicate

A way to think of this is that properties are also resources
so that statements can be made about them.

Eg given a property p, one can make a statement about p:

  ([p], [rdfs:label], "text to use when displaying property")

which says the the given text can be used to label instances
of the property in say graphs or user interfaces.

This  technique is used extensively by RDF schema.

Brian McBride
HPLabs





> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Allsopp [mailto:dallsopp@signal.dera.gov.uk]
> Sent: 05 October 2000 12:10
> To: www-rdf-interest@w3.org
> Subject: Data Model question - using a subject as a predicate
> 
> 
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> Another question about the RDF Data Model:
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> In the formal model we have:
> 
> 1. There is a set called 'Resources'
> 2. There is a set called 'Literals'
> 3. There is a subset of 'Resources' called 'Properties'
> 4. There is a set called 'Statements', each element of which 
> is a triple
> of the form {pred, sub obj}
> 
> where pred is a property (member of 'Properties'), sub is a resource
> (member of 'Resources') and obj is either a resource or a literal
> (member of 'Literals').
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> This seems to imply that a resource already being used as a subject or
> object (i.e. not currently a member of the subset 'Properties') can
> later be used as a predicate (by the addition of a further 
> triple to the
> model). This resource then becomes a member of the subset 
> 'Properties').
> 
> Is this correct?  Can someone give a practical example where 
> this might
> be useful, or at least make sense?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> David.
> 
> -- 
> Dr David Allsopp
>                  Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.
>

Received on Thursday, 5 October 2000 08:34:45 UTC