


From: pat hayes <phayes@ai.uwf.edu>
Message-Id: <v04210100b759b79bd241@[]>
To: jos.deroo.jd@belgium.agfa.com
Cc: w3c-rdfcore-wg@w3.org
> >>>>which is NOT the same as equality
> >>>
> >>> Then your hack only seems to works when we can unify anonymous
> >>> terms, or they have some sort of UniqueProperty attached. How do
> >>> we solve the general case?
> >>
> >>There was some related discussion in the telecon
> >>this afternoon, and I was kind of unable to explain
> >>my point...(I'm really hopeless in that respect)
> >>
> >>The thing about anonymous nodes is that they
> >>are ***variables***
> >>if they would be constants, we would be able
> >>to identify them with ***URI constants***
> >>Now they are actually existentially quantified
> >>variables, something like: there exists an _:a
> >>or (using existing vocab): this log:forSome _:a
> >>So I think we should say that *explicitly*
> >>is the testresults (and in the model theory)
> >>(the general case?)
> >
> >Well, logically they seem to be like existentially quantified
> >variables, yes. But you CANT unify distinct existentially quantified
> >variables (validly) !  They would be distinct skolem constants, which
> >do not unify in general. (They do if they are existential variables
> >bound by the same quantifier, but then they would be the same skolem
> >constant :-)
>I agree that you CANT unify distinct existentially quantified
>variables in the sense that one does with universally
>quantified variables i.e. computing a MGU (Most General Unifier)
>but what we actually compute is a LCU (Least Common Unifier)

Whoa!  Ive never heard that term before. Can you specify what you 
mean? Eg give a sketch of this LCU algorithm, or some explanatory 

>for those anonymous nodes (I mean what those nodes have in
>common w.r.t. their descriptions and taking into account
>daml:UniqueProperty properties to succeed/fail)

Sorry, that isn't enough for me to reconstruct what you mean.

>, and that
>seems to work in a logical sense but I'm also wondering why?-)

I will try to explain once I know what you mean.

Pat Hayes

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Received on Monday, 25 June 2001 10:42:51 EDT
