December 27, 2006

Categorisation Revisited

Working with this hierarchy of increasingly-specialised sub-conceptionaries (simplest, common concepts in the Primary Conceptionary, and gradually more-complex concepts in Specialised Conceptionaries - or Sub-Conceptionaries) may inherently provide a system of categorisation, with each concept also gaining a 'degree of complexity' indicated by its location in the hierarchy of conceptionaries (and, therefore, the hierarchy of concepts).

Unfortunately, the flexibility of concept linkages could permit multiple routes from most-complex to most-simple concept, and some routes may be much shorter than others. Imagine the immense number of concepts required to describe a Nuclear Reactor. Then imagine an image of a Reactor with a large white drum filled with slowly bubbling water and for metal rods in the centre. Clicking on the drum could give you links to primary concepts such as 'white', 'liquid', 'water' and 'cylinder'.

Filtering of Links could reduce the listed relationships to 'Technical: Science: Physics: Fusion: Reactor' for example, but this system requires that the links also become administrated in a distributed/specialised manner which leaves the door open for local/cultural bias.

These links need to be administrated centrally, and suggestions for more specialised links (such as adding 'Reactor' for 'Technical: Science: Physics: Fusion') should be unanimously approved by a global group of specialists in the particular concept - so that it is understood that further concept definitions will adhere to a globally-agreed organisation of links/categories.

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