Re: Modelling Considered Harmful

From: Paul <paul_at_test.com>
Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 15:47:08 +0100
Message-ID: <427e266c$0$2419$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net>

mAsterdam wrote:

>> I agree that what we commonly refer to as "data modelling" is all about
>> metadata, but I still think data itself is also about modelling.

>
> To the user of the data, yes, a model (if the database is any good).
> To the DBMS it's meaningless signs to be cleverly kept - no model.

OK I see what you're saying. Kind of like the database is just a "representation" of a model, rather than the model itself? Like Magritte and his "ceci n'est pas une pipe" again?

But isn't the meta data also to the DBMS just "meaningless signs to be cleverly kept" as well?

If you subscribe to the notion of humans being just extremely complex computers you could argue that all human knowledge is just meaningless signs kept in the brain as well.

Straying into the metaphysical here but can a model or a set of propositions have an independent existence? The only way we know they exist is if we represent them in some way: as a database, as marks on paper, as sound waves in speech.

Paul. Received on Sun May 08 2005 - 09:47:08 CDT