Re: Terminology Question concerning Web Architecture and LinkedData

Chris Bizer writes:

> I like this answer as it clearly points at the Semantic Web being a 
> social system where information providers express their opinions which 
> can be right or wrong. Tim is stating that he thinks that both URIs 
> refer to the same non-information resource.

I think two things are being mixed here.  Yes, it's possible in principle 
to question the veracity of any given RDF statement, and one can debate 
the degree to which the semantic Web itself will come to be viewed through 
the prism of social agreement as to which statements are correct.

I believe, however, that what we're discussing here is not just any old 
RDF statment.  If I had made a statement that "the sky is green", Tim 
might reasonable express the opinion "no, I think Noah has set out a false 
statement."  The case we're discussing is different, I think.  Tim is, I 
believe, responsible for the association between the URI 
http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/card#i and a resource, or we may 
assume for the sake of argument that W3C has delegated that responsibility 
to him.  Tim states that the resource so designated is himself, then he is 
not offering an opinion: he is stating a fact about the resource that he 
has chosen to identify with this URI.  The dbpedia folks may similarly 
establish authoritative associations between the URIs they control and 
resources.

> It is now up to the information consumer to decide if he likes 
> to believe this statement  or not.

For the reasons just stated, no not in this case.  At least not in my 
opinion.

Noah

--------------------------------------
Noah Mendelsohn 
IBM Corporation
One Rogers Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
1-617-693-4036
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Received on Thursday, 19 July 2007 23:55:37 UTC