RE: Domain/Range Woes

> From: Stephen K. Rhoads [mailto:rhoads@thrupoint.net] 
> > Well, validation may not be what you get.  If you now state 
> > something like
> >
> > <rdf:Description rdf:about="#John">
> >   <name>John</name>
> > </rdf:Description>
> >
> > There is nothing wrong.  All that you have said is that 
> John is either a
> > Person or a ContentProvider (or both).
> 
> But wouldn't a validator spit out an error saying that name 
> cannot be used
> with #John because #John has not been declared to be of type Person or
> ContentProvider -- which is the domain of name?

Depends on what this mythical 'validator' is supposed to do.  However,
if you simply use an appropriate inference engine such as Cerebra, FaCT
or Racer, the answer is a firm No.  Instead, the engine would use your
domain statement to deduce additional information about John.  As there
is nothing inconsistent with that additional information in your
ontology, there's nothing invalid.

		- Peter

Received on Thursday, 6 February 2003 06:31:26 UTC