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From: ISSSSM@NUSVM.BITNET (Stephen Smoliar)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: RE: UNIFIED MODEL FOR KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION? (IMPOSSIBLE
Message-ID: <9106060449.AA22588@lilac.berkeley.edu>
Date: 6 Jun 91 04:46:08 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
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X-Unparsable-Date: Thu, 06 Jun 91 12:48:32 SST

In article <JJ.91Jun5122616@medulla.cis.ohio-state.edu>
jj@medulla.cis.ohio-state.edu (John Josephson) writes:
>
>Steven Smoliar> THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION
>
>Careful lest next you decide that no description is any better than
>any other, since they are all subjective, in which case (paraphrasing
>Bob Dylan) there is no point talking to you, it's just the same as
>talking to anybody.
>
The trouble with emphasizing an entire sentence is that it distracts the casual
reader from the subsequent elaboration of that sentence.  I fear I had better
repeat the following two sentences, since I feel they are more to the point
than John's attempt at a witty cautionary remark:

>Description is highly subjective to the person doing the describing.  If
>anyone
>else wishes to draw upon that description, he is obliged to enter into a
>relatively sophisticated process of negotiation which is known as
>communicating
>in a natural language.

In other words if you want to talk with me (or anyone else) you first have to
WANT to engage yourself in this "process of negotiation."  If you approach
dialog without such a disposition to negotiation, then John is quite right.
In that frame of mind, there is no point in your talking to anyone;  the
experience will be tantamount to talking to yourself.

>If, indeed, some descritions are better than others, how can this be?
>Maybe some are more objective than others.
>
In any given situation of discourse, we, as outside observers, may be able to
say that certain exchanges involve LESS negotiation than others.  However, I
would be reluctant to say that those exchanges are based on "better"
descriptions.  The amount of negotiation which is required is more dependent
on the context of the discourse than on any characteristic attributes of the
descriptions being invoked.  Take a look at the cited Brian Smith article
before taking your next shot from the hip, John.  :-)

===============================================================================

Stephen W. Smoliar
Institute of Systems Science
National University of Singapore
Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Kent Ridge
SINGAPORE 0511

BITNET:  ISSSSM@NUSVM

"The funny thing about being smug about health and purity all the time is that
it can turn you into a fascist."--Paul Theroux