Re: Topic :> Dynamics Of Ontologies

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Topic :> Dynamics Of Ontologies 15

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Example 1.  Prognostic Signs And Symptoms (cont.)

We find that exhibiting the architecture of inquiry
in this archeological case will require a small bit
of reconstructive work.  Let's give Hippocrates the
benefit of the doubt that his Aphorisms are genuine
empirical rules, reflecting a measure of experience
with the pertinent phenomena, no matter if gathered
purely casually or gone over with a fine tooth comb.

By way of attempting a retrospective reconstruction, then,
what sort of data might have led us formulate such a rule?
Table 4 gives one possible configuration of the data that
might have led anyone with reason to aphorize such a rule.

Table 4.  Descriptive Data (Node 1)
o-----------------------------------------------------------o
|                                                           |
| Patient Data                                              |
|                                                           |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o
| Patient      | Condition    | Affect       | Outcome      |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o
|              |              |              |              |
| 1            | delirium     | laughter     | good         |
|              |              |              |              |
| 2            | delirium     | laughter     | poor         |
|              |              |              |              |
| 3            | delirium     | seriousness  | good         |
|              |              |              |              |
| 4            | delirium     | seriousness  | poor         |
|              |              |              |              |
| ...          | ...          | ...          | ...          |
|              |              |              |              |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o
|                                                           |
| Prevalence Data                                           |
|                                                           |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o
| Condition    | Affect       | Outcome      | Frequency    |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o
|              |              |              |              |
| delirium     | laughter     | good         | 120          |
|              |              |              |              |
|              |              | poor         |  80          |
|              |              |              |              |
|              | seriousness  | good         |  60          |
|              |              |              |              |
|              |              | poor         |  90          |
|              |              |              |              |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o
|              |              |              | 350          |
o--------------o--------------o--------------o--------------o

Here we have imagined a population of N = 350 patients,
all delirious, having the frequency breakdown as shown.
A rough qualitative summary of this data could well be
formulated in the empirical rule stated by Hippocrates.

Jon Awbrey

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http://www.cs.bsu.edu/homepages/mighty/history.html
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