Re: blow away?

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Date: Tue, 14 Sep 93 00:35:11 EDT
From: sowa <sowa@turing.pacss.binghamton.edu>
Message-id: <9309140435.AA03720@turing.pacss.binghamton.edu>
To: interlingua@ISI.EDU, schwartz@iota.cs.fsu.edu
Subject: Re:  blow away?

Dan Schwartz said it all:

> For example, it makes sense to propose that KIF or Conceptual Graphs may
> become standard formulations of first-order reasoning for use in Data
> Bases.  However, to propose that AI in the broader sense described
> above, needs---or even would benefit from---an established set of
> representation standards, seems rather far fetched.  Any particular
> representation scheme is almost certainly destined to be inadequate
> except for very limited and well-defined tasks.

True.  The only thing that any of us are proposing is a version
of first-order logic with a LISP-like and a graph-like notation.
If anyone else prefers some other notation, they're welcome to
design it, as long as it maps to the same semantic base.

As far as research goes, people are free to do anything they like.
But none of us are going to be free to do any research unless there
is enough money coming in to pay the rent.  And money requires
applications.  And applications require standards.

In order for some of us to have fun doing research in the wild blue
yonder, somebody has to bring in some cash.  If you recall, I used to
work for IBM, where I could have fun doing research -- until the time
came to pay the rent.  When the well dried up, I went looking for
greener pastures.  Now I'm teaching at SUNY Binghamton in a department
that has some money -- Philosophy!

John Sowa