[sc34wg3] SAM-issue psi-generics (was: SAM-issue term-scope-def)

[Bernard Vatant]

*Lars Marius Garshol

> Yes, but instanceOf assignment is a statement about the subject
> represented by the topic, not about the topic. (Just as with all other
> characteristic assignments.)

Nope. I fundamentally disagree with that.
It is confusing the model with the "reality" it is supposed to represent.
Let me be clear about that.

1. A topic map provide formal representation of subjects by topics. Topics are primitive
formal objects in that representation. The bridge between subjects and topics is made, if
at all, by Subject Indicator Reference.

2. The relationships between subjects are formally represented by formal assertions on
topics (associations)

3. All assignments and characteristics declared inside a topic map are formal assertions
about formal topics, including instanceOf. The topic map makes no assertion on subjects at
all, except the indirect one through subject indicator reference.

So when I assert (instanceOf, A, B) it's a formal relationship between formal objects A
and B.

"Topic A is linked to Topic B by a Class-Instance association, where A plays the role of
Class, and B the role of Instance".
All that is formal and do not involve the outthere subjects. Afterwards, I can interpret
it if I want as representing a real relationship in the real world between real subjects
(whatever that means).

So the topic "Marc" is an instanceOf the generic class topic. What's wrong with that? It
never meant that the subject "Marc" outthere is a topic ...

I don't see where the PSI http://www.topicmaps.org/xtm/1.0/core.xtm#topic or the following
one for association is broken.
It says a topic is a topic, no more, no less.

What do I miss?

Bernard