Dear All,
After many objections to my last attempt, here my new reformulation of
the scope note of E5 Event.
The reason is, that the definition previously given, makes the
impression that events are complements of states.
The world however, to our best knowledge, is *NOT *compatible with an
"Asynchronous State Machine". If events where complements of states and
vice-versa, we would create a Closed World. The question is, in
information integration, which concept has an ontological nature, i.e.
can be recognized as something existing in a distinct way independent
from the observer.
It appears that events are of that ontological kind, and states in
general are an abstraction of the absence of events in certain parts of
reality arbitrarily restricted by consideration.
Therefore, the definition of event must not use states as identifying
criterion. Notwithstanding, events may initiate or terminate states
however we define them.
Consider also the following: Four soldiers fight simultaneously each
other. Are these 6 different fights, or one fight? Are the rats fleeing
in panic part of it? I'd argue for one fight. Rats not being part, but
present. That means however that the type "fighting" + the coherence of
it makes up the unity and substance of the event. It appears to me, that
not the states achieved, but the coherence and distinctness of some
phenomena restricted to a specific type of process make up what we
intuitively regard as an event?
E5 Event
Subclass of: E4 Period
Superclass of: E7 Activity
E63 Beginning of Existence
E64 End of Existence
Scope note: This class comprises changes of states in cultural,
social or physical systems, regardless of scale, brought about by a
series or group of coherent physical, cultural, technological or legal
phenomena. Such changes of state will affect instances of E77 Persistent
Item or its subclasses.
The distinction between an E5 Event and an E4 Period is partly a
question of the scale of observation. Viewed at a coarse level of
detail, an E5 Event is an ‘instantaneous’ change of state. At a fine
level, the E5 Event can be analysed into its component phenomena within
a space and time frame, and as such can be seen as an E4 Period. The
reverse is not necessarily the case: not all instances of E4 Period give
rise to a noteworthy change of state.
Attempt of a new one:
Scope note: This class comprises distinct, delimited and
coherent processes and interactions of material nature, in cultural,
social or physical systems, involving and affecting instances of E77
Persistent Item in a characteristic way according to the kind of
process. Typical examples are meetings, birth, death, actions of
decision taking, making or inventing things, but also more complex and
extended ones such as conferences, elections, building a castle or
battles. Whereas, for instance, the continuous growth of a tree lacks
the limitation of an event, its germination from a seed qualifies as
event. Whereas the blowing of the wind lacks distinctness and
limitation, a hurricane, a flood or an earthquake qualify as events. We
even comprise mental processes under events, in case they are connected
with a material externalization of their results, such as the creation
of a poem, a performance or a change of intention becoming obvious by
respective actions o declarations. The effects of an instance of E5
Event may not lead to relevant permanent changes of properties and
relations of the items involved in it, such as not recorded
performances. Of course, in order to be documented, some kind of
evidence for an event must exist, be it witnesses, traces or products of
the event.
Whereas instances of E4 Period require some form of coherence between
its constituent phenomena, in addition, the essential constituents of
instances of E5 Event should contribute to an overall effect, such as
the utterances during a meeting and the listening of the audience.
Viewed at a coarse level of detail, an E5 Event may appear as if it had
an ‘instantaneous’ overall effect, but any process or interaction of
material nature is extended in time and space. At a fine level,
instances of E5 Event may be analysed into component phenomena and
phases within a space and timeframe, and as such are to be seen as a
period, regardless the size of the phenomena. The reverse is not
necessarily the case: not all instances of E4 Period give rise to a
noteworthy overall effect.
Opinions?
Best,
Martin
--
------------------------------------
Dr. Martin Doerr
Honorary Head of the
Center for Cultural Informatics
Information Systems Laboratory
Institute of Computer Science
Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH)
N.Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton,
GR70013 Heraklion,Crete,Greece
Vox:+30(2810)391625
Email: [email protected]
Web-site: http://www.ics.forth.gr/isl
