Re: SUO: RE: Link Grammar and Parser - RRGs
John Bateman wrote:
[...]
> Could not perhaps the members of the SUO list stick to their
> areas of expertise? Or at least separate out the kind of comments
> that they make according to "interests" and real expertise? Or
> is this more a gentleman's discussion group, wide ranging and
> free..... but with little depth.
John,
While the primary purpose of the SUO list is to build (in theory,
at least) a Standard Upper Ontology, another equally important
part is to build a community for such an effort. As such, this
entails bringing together a very diverse group of people whose
backgrounds and lexicons vary considerably. This doesn't mean
that there is some decided lack of expertise, but that it comes
in from many domains. This is a good thing.
Part of what is therefore necessary is that we begin to share
ideas and our understanding of our different domains, as well as
begin to construct a common understanding and lexicon. That
requires a form of cooperative pedagogy, where *everyone* learns
from each other. So each person may bring considerable depth in
their own field, but at least during the Community Construction
Phase (which is continual if the community continues to grow) the
dialogue may appear shallower than what each of its participants
brings to the table. I'm sorry if you feel you are above this kind
of activity -- maybe this is a gentlemans's discussion group and
you want the Safari Club, the one that actually goes out shooting
on weekends. I'm not sure yet if this one is going to kill
anything or not, but in order for there to create consensus and
understanding there must be discussion, and it has to happen
somewhere. There'd be little point in everyone "sticking to their
areas of expertise", as that'd be like watching The McLaughlin
Group, where each pundit spouts their dogma and nobody listens
to the others. I worry as it is that that might be the case; I
don't want you encouraging it. We need more cooperation, not less.
It's been fashionable lately to criticize the activities of this
group. I'm certain it can use constructive criticism, but only
of a sort that opens productive dialogue, not closes it.
Murray
......................................................................
Murray Altheim http://kmi.open.ac.uk/people/murray/
Knowledge Media Institute
The Open University, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK7 6AA, UK .
ABU HISHMA, Iraq, Dec. 6 - As the guerrilla war against Iraqi
insurgents intensifies, American soldiers have begun wrapping
entire villages in barbed wire. [...] "You have to understand
the Arab mind," Capt. Todd Brown, a company commander with the
Fourth Infantry Division, said as he stood outside the gates
of Abu Hishma. "The only thing they understand is force - force,
pride and saving face."
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/international/middleeast/07TACT.html?hp