[Sigcr-l] Domain analysis and scientific classifications

[Claudio Gnoli]

Dear all, I have a question about domain analysis, and maybe someone
here could make it clearer to me.

In his good paper in "Knowledge organization" 2004 n. 1, Jens-Erik
Mai concludes that "the theoretical foundation for classification
research has evolved from establishing classification research in a
scientific tradition where the goal is to replicate an objective
reality as close as possible, to establishing classification research
in a usage-centric tradition where the goals are to support the
activities of a particular domain".

This means, as explained in a previous section of the paper, that
bibliographic classifications are essentially different from
scientific classifications, like those developed by chemistry,
biology, medicine, etc., in that while the former deal with the
subject under a particular approach and with the particular language
of a community, the latter deal with real objects in a way as
objective as possible. (The Classification Research Group referred to
confusion between the two as "the Chinese plate syndrome".)

On the other hand, just in the same issue of "Knowledge
organization" there is a discussion paper (concerning a different
point) by Hjorland and Nicolaisen, claiming that scientific
classifications "form the basis of bibliographic classifications such
as, for example, the UDC-classification", that "Library
Classification is widely dependent on such scientific and scholarly
classifications", etc.

As Hjorland is the main proponent of domain analysis, and Mai's
paper refers to domain analysis too, I wonder which is the position
of domain analysis about the relation between scientific and
bibliographic classifications.

Personally I think that an objective approach can still be useful in
finding stable criteria for structuring schemes. In my opinion,
basing a scheme on the language of a community of users, though
looking desirable, implies a risk of leaving out other users which
were not provided for, so contributing in making domains more and
more separated from each other: this looks as the opposite of the
interdisciplinarity and interoperability which are often whished for
our globalized world. How e.g. can a layperson find her information
in a general public library, if the catalogues are organized
according to the language of some special communities which she is
not part of, instead of the more neutral language of general public
knowledge?...

Thank you very much for your attention!


Claudio Gnoli <gnoli at aib.it>
Universita` di Pavia. Dip' di Matematica. Biblioteca
I-27100 Pavia. Via Ferrata 1 ("la Nave")
tel' 0382.98.5665, fax 0382.98.5667
web <http://www-dimat.unipv.it/biblio/>

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