cyberspace and the future of memory

8/14/2019 Cyberspace and the Future of Memory

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Cyberspace and

the Future of Memory

Vic

e-week 2006

Prof. Pierre Lvy

Canada Research Chair in Collective IntelligenceFellow of the Royal Society of Canada

University of Ottawa


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Evolution of Cultural Memory

Ubiquity, interconnection and activity ofsigns. Semantic numbers.

Technical self-reproduction and

broadcasting of signs. Scientific notations.

Universal writing system using +/- 30signs: phonograms. Positional notation, 0.

Technical memory of language: ideograms.Numerals. Measurement units.

Myths rites oral transmission IconsOralityOrality

WritingWriting

AlphabetAlphabet

Mass MediaMass Media

CyberspaceCyberspace2000

1500

-1000

-3000


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Limits of the Contemporary Web

Linguistic, cultural and disciplinary fragmentation.

Search engines look forcharacters strings insteadof looking forconcepts orsubjects (that areindependent from words in natural languages).

No automatic hyperlink generation betweendocuments on same subjects.

No automatic semantic distance calculus (even inrelatively homogeneous corpuses).

No transverse automatic inferences (acrossontologies, terminologies or documentarylanguages).


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Virtual Memory Architecture

Computer Interconnection between transistors.Computer memory = bits addresses.Operating systems Applications software

Internet Interconnection between computers.Internet Protocol = information servers addresses.Routers.Personal computing. Virtual communities. Digitized mediaconvergence.

Interconnection between documents.

URL = http://pages addresses.Search engines, browsers.Global multimedia hypertextual public sphere.

Web

Noosphere Interconnection between significations.

concepts addresses .Semantic computing, multimedia exploration.Shared virtual semantic memory. Global collectiveintelligence. Augmentation of interpretation.

1980

1995

2015


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Why Semantic Numbers ?

(1) Natural constraint: Natural languages (semanticadressing systems of human memory) are designed bybiological evolution to be processed by brains, not bycomputers.

(2) Cultural opportunity: Interconnected automatic symbol

manipulators compose the global medium of human languageand cultural signs.

(1) AND (2) => Problem: what semantic addressing for thevirtual memory of collective intelligence ?

Response to the problem: A computable symbolic system

able to address any concept. IEML semantic numbers. Result: Fully automatable exploitation of the semantic content

of information across linguistic, cultural and disciplinarybarriers.


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The Five Laws of Computational Semantics

1. No patent: Semantic numbers are public domain.2. No exclusion: Semantic numbers address a

virtually infinite variety of concepts.

3. No ontological hierarchy : Semantic numbers

provide apeer to peerrelation between conceptsand ontologies.

4. No arbitrary authorithy: The IEML dictionary is

built and discussed publicly by a multidisciplinary

and multicultural community of ontology managersand metalaguage specialists.

5. No mystery: The IEML community develops a

rational methodology to connect semantic numbers


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DIGITAL MEMORY

documents

MATHEMATICAL SYSTEM FOR SEMANTIC ADRESSING

IEMLInformation Economy Meta Language

RESEARCHERS COMMUNITIES

People - Applications

SYMBOLIC

WORK

OPENTOOLS

COMMONWEALTH

INFORMATIONFLUX

WWW : URL - HTTP - HTML

Internet : TCP-IP

SEMANTIC WEB

RDF - SPARKL -OWL - other norms -

XML - UNICODE

INFORMATION ECONOMY

COMPUTATIONAL SEMANTICS

Concepts: search - relations - analysis - synthesis - inference - measurement


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collective

intelligence crationcration

creation creation

aspiration

aspiration


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Why current social sciences could bebetter at promoting human development

Sciences of nature since the

scientific revolution

Universal physical space

High tech observation instruments

Formalized and consistent

languages

High computability

High testability

Explicit shareable, cumulativeknowledge => strong knowledge

management

Current Sciences of culture

Fragmentation among disciplinesand paradigms. No integratedcausal model of humandevelopment.

Low tech observation instruments

Non-formalized languages ordifferent formalizations accordingto cultures, disciplines andparadigms

Low computability

Low testability Tacit knowledge (non-

shareable, non-cumulative) =>weak knowledge management


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MEASURABLE SEMANTIC & PRAGMATIC PHENOMENA

MATHEMATICAL CALCULUS

MEASURABLE PHYSICAL & BIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA

cultural sciences

natural sciences

software

h d

conceptware

semantic

computing

classicalcomputing

THREE LEVELS


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Human Language

Syntax Combinations of elements

Multi-leveled articulation

Semantic Potentially infinite # of distinct representations

Hierarchically organized in sets and subsets

Pragmatic

Ability to tie and untie a potentatially infinite # ofhuman relationships, using syntax and semantic.

==> Reflexive consciousness

==> Culture (human collective intelligence)


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Linguistic: SignifierScholastic: VoxPeirce: Foundation of signHusserl: Noeme

Linguistic: ReferentScholastic:ResPeirce: ObjectHusserl: Object

Linguistic: SignifiedScholastic: ConceptusPeirce: InterpretantHusserl: Intentionnality

Sign

Being

Thing

Discursive

Thought


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formal

intelligence

Practical

intelligence

emotionalintelligence

Religion, ethics, law,institutions, psychologyrelational thought

Mathematics, philosophy,communication, art,literature, semiotics,

b t t th ht

Hunting, fishing,agriculture, architecture,industry, engineering,t h i l th ht

CultureCulture


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Intentions

Interpretants

ObjectsNatures / Ontologies

SymbolsCultures

Attractions

Desires

Repulsions

Laws

Universes of possible meanings

CONCEPTS

to the

virtual

Communication



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NUMBERS

Computers

Non-humans / Humans

Structures

Natures / Cultures

Computability

Notation

systems

CONCEPTS

Interpretants

Communities

Objects

OntologiesSymbols

Cultures

SEMANTIC NUMBERS

Mathematics, computer science,

engineeringNatural and social sciences, humanistic

disciplines, ontologies management

Addressing, measurement and calculus

of conceptual dynamics in cyberspaceTransmission and development of

knowledge on concepts ecosystems


Scientific observation of

collective intelligence

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

cyberspace and the future of memory

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