The Semantic Web and Human Nature

26 November 2003

Axiom: Organizations, systems and processes that oppose human nature tend to fail over time.

Examples:  Communism, Victorian chastity, caste systems, slavery...

If we hold the above axiom as wholly or partly true, it begs the question: Is the semantic web, which requires precise thinking and strict logic, fundamentally opposed to human nature which favors loose thinking and special cases?  This certainly is the premise of the author of the article entitled "metacrap".

The honest answer is yes; however, knowing that is the seed of the solution.  Thus, in order for the semantic web not to fail, we must do three things:

1. Enable decentralized creation of knowledge bases and rules in order to pool the expertise of the minority who enjoy precise thinking.  The Web Ontology Language (OWL) provides the beginnings of this with facilities for Ontology importing and mapping.  Much more can be done in the area of collaborative ontology editing and federated ontologies.
2. Abstract the strict logic away from the average user.  This will follow two paths: semantic-web applications as middle-ware and smart-HCI (human computer interaction).
3. Provide immediate gratification and concrete benefits that traditionally motivate individuals to oppose their own nature.  In other words, work with human nature instead of trying to fight it.  This is the philosophy behind the Mangrove project which is clearly on the right track. 

In conclusion, the key reason why the semantic web will succeed while other "utopian" systems failed is because it is born out of the existing world wide web whose principles of decentralization, universal addressing and openness have lowered the barrier to entry for the semantic web (aka the smart data continuum) to flourish.