Conference paper
Data, model, and reality
In
Proceedings of Intersymp-2000
—
2000
Abstract
What does it mean for a database (or any other computer representation) to ‘model’ reality as it is, was, or might be? If the database ‘models’ reality in some way, is the same true of its schema or the underlying data model; and if not, what do they express? These questions, though more philosophical than technical in nature, seem crucial to the understanding of data(base) technology, for it seems that all use of such technology presupposes one answer or another.
In this paper I suggest one way of explicitly answering them; namely in terms of a Platonist ontology of abstract entities.
| Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems Research and Cybernetics |
| Year: | 2000 |
| Proceedings: | 12th International Conference on Systems Research, Informatics and Cybernetics |
| Types: | Conference paper |
