[sc34wg3] What do we mean by reification?

[Patrick Durusau]

Steve,

Steve Pepper wrote:

> The SAM and the RM contradict one another on the issue of
> reification.
>
> The SAM states (3.4.4 Reification):
>
>   "Every topic represents one subject, and the relationship
>   between the two is always one of representation. However, the
>   term reification is used for situations where the subject
>   represented by the topic is part of the topic map."
>
> The RM says (2.31 reified):
>
>   "Provided with a proxy. A topic map author reifies (literally,
>   thing-ifies) a subject by creating a proxy for that subject.
>   The reason for reifying a subject is to make it, in effect,
>   addressable. Computers cannot address subjects (such as the
>   subject which is the notion of love), but they can address
>   certain kinds of proxies for subjects (such as a <topic>
>   element whose subject is love, or a node in a topic map graph
>   whose subject is love). Things that can be addressed can be
>   processed, collated, merged, rendered, etc.
>
>   

<snip>

>
> There is no problem with the example given in the RM, which
> would be considered a refied association in the SAM. The
> inconsistency lies in whether the relationship between a topic
> and its corresponding subject is one of reification or not. The
> SAM says clearly that it is not; the RM implies that it is. At
> the very least we need to get our story straight.

Can you say a little more about why you think the SAM clearly says 
"relationship between a topic and its corresponding subject" is not 
reification?

The reason for my question is that I am assuming to have a topic means 
that the subject is being represented in the topic map? Ah, or are you 
saying that subjects can be in the topic map without having a topic? 
(Parsing failure on " However, the term reification is used for 
situations where the subject represented by the topic is part of the 
topic map.")

Thanks!

Patrick

-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
pdurusau@emory.edu
Co-Editor, ISO Reference Model for Topic Maps