I was reading Fuzzy Sets, Uncertainty, and Information by George J. Klir and Tina A. Folger, when it occurred to me that use of IRI’s as identifiers for subjects, is by definition a “crisp set.”
Klir and Folger observe:
The crisp set is defined in such a was as to dichotomize the individuals in some given universe of discourse into two groups: members (those that certainly belong in the set) and nonmembers (those that certainly do not). A sharp, unambiguous distinction exists between the members of the class or category represented by the crisp set. (p. 3)
A subject can be assigned an IRI as an identifier, based on some set of properties.
That assignment and use as an identifier makes identification a crisp set operation.
Eliminates fuzzy, rough, soft and other non-crisp set operations, as well as other means of identification.
******
What formal characteristics of crisp sets are useful for topic maps?
Are those characteristics useful for topic map design, authoring or both?
Extra credit: Any set software you would suggest to test your answers?