Representing temporal knowledge from English sentences.
Peter Harris · 1982
Two question-answerino computer programs, which organize and represent temporal knowledge from English sentences, are examineo. Kenneth Kahn•s claim, that his TTME SP8CIALIST does 1 not represent subjective time, is questioned because TI~E SPE:TALIST represents relationships between now and other events in time. In addition, TIME SPECIALIST is found to ambiguously represent some events because it categorizes every event as either BEGINNINGOF, END•DF or ALL•OF. Ambiquities are also Possible when duration of an event approaches or exceeds ti~e between tllat event and its reference event, as in example The Renaissance was yesterday. In an attempt to eliminate, from TIME SPECIALIST, a~blguities of these two types--a fourth event type, such as SOME•OF is added. This, and havino TIME SPf.:IALIST request more specific information about an event, such as the Renaissance, when it appears in a ~~-------~--~-1 [Kahn 77), p. 89.