[Obi-devel] distance, inheres, data and its transforms. Was: Re: transformation terms from MO

[Alan R. <ala...@gm...>]

On Jan 26, 2007, at 8:12 PM, Chris Mungall wrote:

> whilst the distance metrics can be considered types of qualities that
> can inhere in two independent continuants [snip]

The problem I see with using "inheres" for distance is that with  
inheres, the spatial region of the thing that inheres is supposed to  
be a part of the spatial region of the thing it depends on[1]. So if  
you are talking about the distance between, let say the microscope  
lens and the slide, I don't see how the distance can inhere in these  
two since if you were to make the distance "real" in some way it  
would have to considered to extend across the gap.

On Jan 26, 2007, at 3:22 PM, Tina Hernandez-Boussard wrote:

> I think that these[distance etc] terms should not go under data  
> transformation, but would be better placed under mathematical  
> terms, as they do not transform the data.

I'm curious what distinguishes these from data transformations?  
What's similar is that they both are mathematical functions of data.  
Is what's different that the result is of lower dimensionality, or of  
smaller number than the number of data points? Would  a Hough  
transform [2] be considered a data transformation - output can be  
higher or lower dimensional ?

In any case, I don't understand how data is to be handled in BFO at  
all, currently.

[1] http://ontology.buffalo.edu/smith/articles/SNAP_SPAN.pdf (A21)
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hough_transform

Looking forward to meeting a bunch of you in person,

-Alan