RDF and speech acts

I'm adding loads of fun to RDF by reading Searle's _Speech Acts_. In 
particular, his discussion of predication (Chapter 5, page 97) is 
interesting---he claims that while a subject can "refer" to a 
particular, predication does not in the same sense involve "referring" 
to a universal.

I've discussed on this list the need to identify the resource an RDF 
literal represents using, for example, a URI; RDF does not allow this. I 
have considered the distinction between resource nodes and literal nodes 
to be of syntactic convenience only. However, upon reflection it seems 
that historically literal nodes have been used to represent universals 
(e.g. "red" or "heavy")---although of late the RDF community seems to be 
encouraging URI-identified resources for this purpose---and resource 
nodes have been used to represent particulars. There is a certain 
empirical parallel, at least. Searle's explanations the analysis more 
interesting.

My question is ancillary: Can someone recommend a reading list that 
addresses the intersection of the philosophy of language, semiotics, 
RDF, and the semantic web?

Cheers,

Garret

Received on Monday, 24 November 2003 20:25:28 UTC