Another Word For It Patrick Durusau on Topic Maps and Semantic Diversity

December 27, 2011

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2011.

I got a copy of “Thinking, Fast and Slow” for Christmas and it has already proven to be an enjoyable read.

Kahneman says early on (page 28):

The premise of this book is that it is easier to recognize other people’s mistakes than our own.

I thought about that line when I read a note from a friend that topic maps needed more than my:

tagging everything with “Topic Maps….”

Which means I haven’t been clear about the reasons for the breath of materials I have and will be covering in this blog.

One premise of this blog is that the use and recognition of identifiers is essential for communication.

Another premise of this blog is that it is easier for us to study the use and recognition of identifiers by others, much for the same reasons we can recognize the mistakes of others more easily.

The use and recognition of identifiers by others aren’t mistakes but they may be different from those we would make. In cases where they differ from ours, we have a unique opportunity to study the choices made and the impacts of those choices. And we may learn patterns in those choices that we can eventually see in our own choices.

Understanding the use and recognition of identifiers in a particular circumstance and the requirements for the use and recognition of identifiers, is the first step towards deciding whether topic maps would be useful in some circumstance and in what way?

For example, processing social security records in the United States, anything other than “bare” identifiers like a social security number may be unnecessary and add load with no corresponding benefit. Aligning social security records with bank records, might need to reconsider the judgement to use only social security numbers. (Some information sharing is “against the law.” But as the Sheriff in “Oh Brother where art thou?” says: “The law is a man made thing.” Laws change, or you can commission absurdist interpretations of it.)

Topic maps aren’t everywhere but identifiers and recognition of identifiers are.

Understanding identifiers and their recognition will help you choose the most appropriate solution to a problem

3 Comments

  1. […] PS: The taking effort to reject information is a theme explored in Thinking, Fast and Slow. […]

    Pingback by Misinformation: Why It Sticks and How to Fix It « Another Word For It — September 20, 2012 @ 4:43 pm

  2. […] Are these shadows/echoes of Thinking, Fast and Slow? […]

    Pingback by The tyranny of algorithms « Another Word For It — September 24, 2012 @ 4:19 pm

  3. […] that’s comfort analysis. It’s an explanation we use to compliment ourselves. (see, Thinking, Fast and Slow) Research suggests decision making is complex and almost entirely […]

    Pingback by Infinite Jukebox plays your favorite songs forever « Another Word For It — November 25, 2012 @ 11:51 am

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