I have been reading a lot of graph and network theory stuff lately.
It occurred to me that in any graph or network, the nodes that we choose to write down, as well as the edges between them, are arbitrary choices on our part.
That is to say that someone else, drawing the same graph or network, might include more or fewer nodes and edges.
Neither one would be more correct than the other, but they would be different networks or graphs.
I mention that because it implies that for every graph or network that we write down, there are other graphs or networks lurking just beyond our reach.
Perhaps within the reach of others, but just not ourselves.
That seems to me to strike at the heart of the notion of primitives in the various logics and ontologies.
There may well be primitives from a particular point of view but only from a particular point of view.
So when someone assures you that a particular set of primitives is required for their semantic solution, be sure you hear that as the limits of their graph, network, or semantics. Your mileage may vary.