Re: What's the difference? rdf:about, owl:sameIndividualAs

Jimmy,

The way that we foresee using owl:sameIndividualAs in the project I'm 
working on is to describe the relationship between two object 
descriptions (possibly from two different sources) that in fact refer to 
a single instance.

As an example: a bank security guard reports a blue van leaving the 
scene of a robbery. Later, a motorist reports being sideswiped by a blue 
van. Both reports have subjects that are represented by OWL instances. 
Later, it is determined that these subject instances refer to the same 
blue van, so a sameIndividualAs relationship is created between the two.

I'm not sure if this is a legitimate use of owl:sameIndividualAs (I'm 
sure someone will tell me if it isn't, and correct all my terminology), 
but if it is, would that relationship be expressible using rdf:about as 
an attribute?

Steve Gollery
sgollery@cadrc.calpoly.edu

Jimmy Cerra wrote:

>What's the difference between rdf:about and owl:sameIndividualAs?  They
>all seem to be used to define a resource.  Take the following example:
>
><owl:Thing rdf:about="uri#foo" />
>
>That serialized RDF statement says that a resource, identified by
>"uri#foo", is an individual (as defined by OWL).  However, I could also
>say that a blank node that is identical to the resource identified by
>"uri#foo" is an individual:
>
><owl:Thing>
>	<owl:sameIndividualAs rdf:resource="uri#foo" />
></owl:Thing>
>
>>From that statement, an agent should conclude that the resource
>identified by "uri#foo" has the same properties as that blank node.
>Since the blank node is an individual, then the resource identified by
>"uri#foo" must have the same properties - mainly that it is an
>individual.  So rdf:about and owl:sameIndividualAs can be used to
>identify a resource; the former by direct statements and the latter by
>inference.
>
>Is it really necessary to have two different ways of saying the same
>thing?  Perhaps so; then would it be advantageous to make the rdf:about
>attribute an actual property?  For example:
>
><owl:Thing>
>	<rdf:about>uri#foo</rdf:about>
>	<rdf:about>uri#bar</rdf:about>
></owl:Thing>
>
>or:
>
><owl:Thing>
>	<rdf:about rdf:resource="uri#foo" />
>	<rdf:about rdf:resource="uri#bar" />
></owl:Thing>
>
>as opposed to:
>
><owl:Thing rdf:about="uri#foo">
>	<owl:sameIndividualAs rdf:resource="uri#bar" />
></owl:Thing>
>
>or:
>
><owl:Thing>
>	<owl:sameIndividualAs rdf:resource="uri#foo" />
>	<owl:sameIndividualAs rdf:resource="uri#bar" />
></owl:Thing>
>
>???  
>
>--
>Jimmy Cerra
>
>] "My mind is slipping away...
>]  day by glorious day." - RAG III
>
>
>
>  
>

Received on Saturday, 17 May 2003 11:40:37 UTC