ICT role in 21st century education and its challenges
The hunt for new abstractions
1. Cover Page
The Hunt for New
Abstractions
Author: Jeffrey G. Long (jefflong@aol.com)
Date: September 28, 2001
Forum: Talk presented at the University of Utah.
Contents
Pages 1‐2: Proposal and Bio
Pages 3‐24: Slides intermixed with text for presentation
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4. The Hunt for New
Abstractions: Notational
Engineering and Ultra-
Structure Jeffrey G. Long
September 28, 2001
jefflong@aol.com
j ffl @ l
5. We Have Never Really Studied
Notational Systems per se
All systems can be categorized into four types:
y g yp
Formal: syntax only, e.g. formal logic, formal
language theory, pure mathematics
Informal: semantics only, e.g. art, advertising,
politics, religious symbols
Notational: both syntax and semantics, e g
semantics e.g.
natural language, musical notation, money,
cartography
Subsymbolic: neither syntax nor semantics, e.g.
natural systems
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 2
6. We may have competence in using certain kinds of
y p g
complex systems but we still don’t understand them
climate and weather
economics, finance, markets
, ,
medicine, physiology, biology, ecology
This is not because of the nature of the systems but
systems,
rather because our notational systems – our
abstractions -- are inadequate
Complexity is not a property of systems; rather,
perplexity is a property of the observer
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 3
7. These problems cannot be solved by working harder,
harder
using faster computers, or moving to OO techniques
Many if not most problems today are fundamentally
representational in character
Using the wrong, or too-limited, a notational system is
inescapably self-defeating
p y g
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 4
8. Each primary notational system maps a different
“abstraction space”
Abstraction spaces are incommensurable
Perceiving these is a unique human ability
Abstraction spaces are discoveries, not inventions
Abstraction spaces are real
Acquiring literacy in a notation is learning how to see
a new abstraction space
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 5
9. So Far We Have Settled Maybe
y
12 Major Abstraction Spaces
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 6
10. All higher forms of thinking require the use of one or
g g q
more notational systems
The notational systems we habitually use influence
the manner in which we perceive our environment:
our picture of the universe shifts as we acquire
literacy in new notational systems
Notational systems have been central to the
evolution of the modern mind and modern civilization
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 7
11. Every notational system has limitations: a
y y
“complexity barrier”
The problems we face now as a civilization are, in
many cases, notational
We need a more systematic way to develop and
settle abstraction spaces: notational engineering
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 8
12. Current Analysis Methods Work
Only Under Certain Conditions
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 9
13. Rules are a Broader Way of
Describing Things
Multi-notational: can include all other notational
systems
Explicitly
E li itl contingent
ti t
Describe both behavior and mechanism
Thousands or millions can be assembled and acted
upon by computer
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 10
14. And Complex Rules Can be Stored as
Data in a Relational Database
Ultra-Structure Theory is a general theory of systems
representation, developed/tested starting 1985
Focuses on optimal computer representation of
F ti l t t ti f
complex, conditional and changing rules
Based on a new abstraction called ruleforms
The breakthrough was to find the unchanging
features of changing systems
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 11
15. The Theory Offers a Different Way to
Look
L k at Complex S
C l Systems and Pd Processes
observable
behaviors surface structure
generates
rules middle structure
constrains
form of rules
f f l deep structure
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 12
16. Hypothesis: Any Type of Statement Can
yp y yp
Be Reformulated into an If-Then Rule
Natural language statements
Musical scores
Logical arguments
Business processes
Architectural drawings
Mathematical statements
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 13
17. Rules Can be Represented in
Place-Value (Tabular) Form
Place value assigns meaning based on content and
location
In Hindu-Arabic numerals, this is column position
In ruleforms, this is column position
ruleforms
Thousands of rules can fit in same ruleform
There are multiple basic ruleforms, not just one
But the total number is still small (<100?)
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 14
18. Structured and Ultra-Structured
Data are Different
Structured data separates algorithms and data, and is
good for data processing and information retrieval
tasks,e.g. reports, queries, data entry
Ultra-Structured data has only rules, formatted in a
manner that allows a small software engine to
reason with them using standard deductive logic
“Animation” ft
“A i ti ” software h littl or no knowledge of
has little k l d f
the external world
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 15
19. This Creates New Levels for Analysis
y
and Representation
Standard Terminology (if any) Ultra-Structure Instance Ultra-Structure Level U-S Implementation
Name Name
behavior, physical entities particular(s) surface structure system behavior
and relationships, processes
rules, laws, constraints, rule(s) middle structure data and some
guidelines, rules of thumb software (animation
procedures)
(no standard or common ruleform(s) deep structure tables
term)
(no standard or common universal(s) sub-structure attributes, fields
term)
tokens, signs or symbols token(s) notational structure character set
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 16
20. The Ruleform Hypothesis
Complex system structures are created by not-
necessarily complex processes; and these
il l d th
processes are created by the animation of
operating rules. Operating rules can be grouped
into a small number of classes whose form is
i ll b f l h f i
prescribed by "ruleforms". While the operating
rules of a system change over time, the ruleforms
remain constant. A well-designed collection of
i ll d i d ll i f
ruleforms can anticipate all logically possible
operating rules that might apply to the system,
and constitutes the deep structure of the system.
d h d f h
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 17
21. The CoRE Hypothesis
We can create “Competency Rule Engines”, or
CoREs,
C RE consisting of <50 ruleforms, th t are
i ti f 50 l f that
sufficient to represent all rules found among systems
sharing broad family resemblances, e.g. all
corporations. Their definitive d
ti Th i d fi iti deep structure will b
t t ill be
permanent, unchanging, and robust for all members
of the family, whose differences in manifest
structures and b h i
d behaviors will b represented entirely
ill be d i l
as differences in operating rules. The animation
procedures for each engine will be relatively simple
compared to current applications, requiring less than
100,000 lines of code in a third generation language.
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 18
22. The Deep Structure of a System
p y
Specifies its Ontology
What is common among all systems of type X?
What is the fundamental nature of type X systems?
What are the primary processes and entities involved
in type X systems?
What makes systems of type X different from
systems of type Y?
If we can answer these questions about a system,
then we have achieved real understanding
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 19
23. Suggestion 1
To advance our mental capabilities as a species, and
to address the problems we currently face as a
civilization,
civilization we must systematically and comparatively
study notational systems to create wholly new
abstractions and thereby revolutionary new
notational systems.
s stems
This is the goal of notational engineering.
engineering
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 20
24. Suggestion 2
One example of a new abstraction is ruleforms To
ruleforms.
truly understand complex systems, we must get
beyond appearances (surface structure) and rules
(middle structure) to the ruleforms (deep structure)
and beyond.
This is the goal of Ultra-Structure Theory.
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 21
25. References
Long, J., and Denning, D., “Ultra-Structure: A design theory for
complex systems and processes.” In C
l d ” Communications of the
i i f h
ACM (January 1995)
Long, J., “Representing emergence with rules: The limits of
addition.
addition ” In Lasker, G E. and Farre G L (editors) Advances
Lasker G. E Farre, G. L. (editors),
in Synergetics, Volume I: Systems Research on Emergence.
(1996)
Long, J., “A new notation for representing business and other
g, , p g
rules.” In Long, J. (guest editor), Semiotica Special Issue:
Notational Engineering, Volume 125-1/3 (1999)
Long, J., “How could the notation be the limitation?” In Long, J.
(guest editor), S i ti S
( t dit ) Semiotica Special Issue: Notational Engineering,
i lI N t ti lE i i
Volume 125-1/3 (1999)
September 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Jeff Long 22