I have a trouble with The RDF Model

The  RDF Model states that there is a set of resources, a
set of properties, and a set of triples.  This seems to
imply that in ~The Model~ triples are unique.  Take for
example the triple [Bush, wonThe, Election] - the model
states that there is only one such triple.  Now the fact of
the matter is: I can see that  triple here (say at
robustai.net) and i can see that triple there (say at the
Electoral College).  Were I to view that triple here I would
evaluate it to [False], were I to view that triple there, I
would evaluate it to [True].  But bear in mind, M&S says
there is only the one triple, and that triple can not be
both True and False according to the Law of The Excluded
Middle.  I think this could be a real paradox were we not to
fix it.  I can see three possible solutions:

1) The sets discussed in [The RDF Model] are really
multisets and triples are not unique.  Therefore the triple
I see at robust.ai is not the same triple I see at the
Electoral College; the one can be true and the other false.
A triple is unique only within a semantic island and we need
to be able to express in RDF to which island it belongs.

2) We go down the slippery slope where every agent must view
triples as reified statements.  When it reads a triple it
sees a reification quad - when it writes a triple it writes
a reification quad.

3) We toss the law of the Excluded Middle.

Can we discuss ?

[The RDF Model] http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-rdf-syntax/#model
[Triples Are Not Unique]
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-rdf-interest/2000Nov/0233.html

[Multi Valued Logics]
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/courses/logsys/nonstbib.htm#many-valued

Seth Russell

Received on Sunday, 26 November 2000 09:59:42 UTC