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

[William B. <Wil...@Dr...>]

On Jan 26, 2007, at 10:35 PM, Alan Ruttenberg wrote:

> 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.
I do think distance must encapsulate some sense of the entities  
defining it's boundaries.

At the same time, I agree regarding how stating the distance  
"inheres" to the boundary entities have any meaning either in the  
"common sense" perspective of the example you provide or the more  
formal sense in relation to how those boundary entities map into BFO.

>
> 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.
I think you probably have a much better grasp on this issue than many  
of us - which may account for your belief you truly don't understand  
it.  Ignorance is bliss, as they say.  ;-)

>
> [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

Bill Bug
Senior Research Analyst/Ontological Engineer

Laboratory for Bioimaging  & Anatomical Informatics
www.neuroterrain.org
Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy
Drexel University College of Medicine
2900 Queen Lane
Philadelphia, PA    19129
215 991 8430 (ph)
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