CENTER FOR DIGITAL HUMANITIE! INTRO 10 DIGITAL HUMANITIES La) Concepts, Methods, and Tutorials fr Students and Instructors 2B. Classification Systems (Drucker 972013) Struccuing data crucal co machine processing, and digtal les have an inherent structure by virtue of belng encoded, But the concept of structure can be extended to higher orders af organization, itis not limited te the ways in which streams of data are segmented, identified, or marked. One of the most powerful forms of organizing knowledge is through the use ofclasiiaion systems. In digital environments, dlassification systems are used in several vays—to organize the materials ona ste, to organize files within a system, to identity and name digital cbjects andor the analogue ‘materials to which they refer. Clasiicaton systems impose a secondary order of organization into any eld of objects (ents, physical objects les, Images, recordings etc). We use classification systems to identify and sat, but also to create models of knowledge. The relation between such models of knowledge and the processes of cognition, particularly with regard to cukural differences and embodied experience, are complex, but they are Implied in every act of naming or organizing. No classification system is value neutral, objective, or sel-evdent, and all lasiication systems bear within them the ideological imprint oftheir production, Exercise: Take this excerpt fom Jorge Luis Borges ane discuss ts underlying order: ~.t's written that animals are ided Into (8) those that belong, te the Emperor, (b) embalmed anes, () those that are rained, () suckling pigs, () mermaids, 7) fabulous ones, () stray dogs, (h) those that are Included in this clasication (those that remble asf they were mad, innumerable ones, (k those drawn wit avery fine camelschalr brush, 1) others (m) those that have just broken a fewer vase, (n) those that resemble flies from a distance” Exercise: The philosopher Michel Foucault used that passage to engage ina philosophical refection onthe grounds on which knowledge Is possible He asked "How do we think equivalence, resemblance, ad diference/dstnction?” The specfcity and granularty of distinctions, points of difference, determine the refinement ofa casifiation system, but also embed assumptions int its structure, Can you give an example? Classiiation systems aise from many elds. Carolus Linneaus, the 18th century Sweelsh botanist, created a system for dasifying plants according to thee reproductive organs. Mary ofthe relationships he identified ang named have been contradicted by evidence of the genetic relations among species, but is system s sill used and is useful and its principles provide a uniform system. Classification systems are used in every sphere of human actity, and have been the objec of philosophical reflection in every culture and era, ‘At the most basic level we need classification systems to name and organize agit file. In addition, we use elaborate systems of naming and ‘lassifyng that encode information about objects and/or knowledge domains. collection of music recordings might be ordered by the length ofthe individual soundtracks, but this would make inding works by a particular ars, composer, or conductor impossible to locate. The creation of Isiosymeratic of personal schemes of organization may work for an individual, but if information and knowledge are tobe shared, then standard systems of classification are essential, Exercise: What are standard systems of classifeation that you are familar with? (eg. Signs in supermarket aisles, Netix categories, Library call numbers, and so on. Classiieation systems can be organized through a numberof diferent structuring principles. n the article you tead fr today, Michael Sperberg- Mequeen suggests ways that something (anything) can be assigned toa class (ina clasifiation senere) according to its properties. While straightforward enough, he goes on to make a number of ether observations about the nature ofthese schemes, Whats meant by the distinction he ‘makes between nominal/one-dimensional and N-dimensional approaches? What are the advantages and/or limitations ofa hier Increasingly fine distinctions? What isthe difference practically as well as theoretically) between erumerative (explicit and faceted (system of refinemenv/actrioutes) approaches to classiation? Why are modular approaches more fexile than straightforward naming systems in a herarchy? ‘wmat's the connection and/or distinction between indexing and classifying that he makes? ical scheme with‘ile mach ofthis might seem abstract, cheorescal, and philosophical in its orientation, the isues bear immediatly and slrectly on the creation of| any organization and clasfcation scheme you use in a project as well as onthe information you encode in metadata (information about your Information andor objects, see Lesson 3A} Exercise: Here are two wellknown but very different approaches to understanding clasifiation andlor exerpiyng is principles. Paraphrase, surmmariz, and discuss the principles involved and make an examle of ane ofthese. For what kinds of materials are these suted? For what are they suite? ‘Shiyall Ranganathan, Indian machematican and librarian ‘unity, God, orld, frst in evolution or time, one-cimenson, ine, sold state, 2 two dimensions, plane, cones, form, structure, anatomy, morphology, sources of krowledge,physiography, constitution, physical anthropology, | three dimensions space, cubes, analysis, function, physiology, syntax method, social anthropology. 4 eat pathology, sease, ranspartntertnking syethess, hy sak, 5 energy light radiation, organic, liquid, water, ocean, frcign land allen, external, environment, ecology, public controled plan, emotion foliage, aesthetics, woman, sex crime, 6 dimensions, subtle, mysticism, money, finance, abnormal, phylogeny, evolution, 7 personaly, ontogeny, integrated, hols, value, public nance, travel, organization, feness Brown and the Lancaster-Oslo/Bergen (LOB) corpora, used to descrivesor texts A ress: reportage 8 Pres: editorial ress: reviews Religion Skil trades, and hobbies2 Popul tore eles letres, biography, essays + Miscellaneous (government document, foundation reports industry reports college catalogue industry house orgen} ‘Learned and selene writings + General fition LLaystery and detective fiction M Science fon Adventure and western fon Romance and love storyHumor Exercise: An archaeologist from an alien (offer) cvilization has arrives at UCLA and is studying the studentsin order te make a museum exhibition onthe home planet. So, each student should take something thats part of hissher usual daly stuttfequipmentvoaggage and put it onthe table fone ‘able forthe class), Now, to help the poor alien, you need to come up with a classification system (do this in groups of about 4-6) How willyou classify them? Golor, size, order, materials, function, value, oF other? Keep in mind that you are helping communicate something about UCLA student fe i your organization, Now, compare classfcation systems and their principles, Imagine everyone goes out ofthe room and that ahuge explosion occurs once the doors are closed, The police are called in and turns aut the explosives were concealed in one ofthe objects on the table, The forensic tear resto figure out who the owner ofa blue knapsack was. Does your assifiation system help or net If 9, how, and if not, why not? What does that tellyou about classification schemes? Takeaways: Classiicaton systems are models of knowledge. They embody ideological ané epistemological assumptions in thelr orgarization and structure Classiieaton systems can be at odds with each other even when they describe the same phenomena (a classification of animal species based on form (morphology) can organize fauna very iterently from ane based on genetic information) Required reading for 34: Ramesh Srinivasan and jessica Wallack,"Local-Globak Reconciling Msmatched Ontologies,” HICSS, 2009, (p/rameshsrinvasan.orghwordoressiyp= content/uploads/2013/07/'WallackSrinvasanHICSS.pa) ‘Study Question for 3A: 1. How do Srinivasan/Wallack demonstrate that a database enacts 2 polis of knowledge? Copyright © 2014- All Rights Reserved