Domain-Specific Search and Domain-Specific Search and the Encyclopedic Internet the Encyclopedic Internet

VisionVisionNetwork and Complex Systems GroupNetwork and Complex Systems Group

Indiana UniversityIndiana University

Anthony F. Beavers, Ph.D.Anthony F. Beavers, Ph.D.

Philosophy / Cognitive SciencePhilosophy / Cognitive Science

The University of EvansvilleThe University of Evansville

Funding by the Digital Humanities Initiative,Funding by the Digital Humanities Initiative,

National Endowment for the HumanitiesNational Endowment for the Humanities

What is Noesis?What is Noesis?

An “intentional” act of consciousness that An “intentional” act of consciousness that is correlated with an objectis correlated with an object The act is termed The act is termed noesisnoesis (adj. noetic) (adj. noetic) The object is termed The object is termed noemanoema (pl. noemata, adj. (pl. noemata, adj.

noematic)noematic) The correlation is termed The correlation is termed noetic-noematicnoetic-noematic to to

indicate the unitary structure of act and objectindicate the unitary structure of act and object

Intentionalty & HypertextualityIntentionalty & Hypertextuality

Hyperlinks are also intentional in this Hyperlinks are also intentional in this sensesense A link in order to be a link must point from a A link in order to be a link must point from a

source to a targetsource to a target Thus the hyperlink forms an intentional or bi-Thus the hyperlink forms an intentional or bi-

polar relation with one pole at its source and polar relation with one pole at its source and the other pole at its targetthe other pole at its target

Two Points of View on NoesisTwo Points of View on Noesis

From the noetic point of view:From the noetic point of view: A limited area search engine dedicated to the A limited area search engine dedicated to the

discipline of philosophydiscipline of philosophy

From the noematic point of view:From the noematic point of view: A library of reliable philosophical research A library of reliable philosophical research

designed according to the affordances of the designed according to the affordances of the InternetInternet

Some Noetic AffordancesSome Noetic Affordances

Gateway or portal to off-site informationGateway or portal to off-site information Server-side centralization for information Server-side centralization for information

analysis, organization, visualization, and analysis, organization, visualization, and quality controlquality control

Ability to impact a range of noematic Ability to impact a range of noematic affordancesaffordances

Some Noematic AffordancesSome Noematic Affordances

Organic domain representation (regarding Organic domain representation (regarding both topical scope and the number of both topical scope and the number of documents)documents)

Hypertextual RelatabilityHypertextual Relatability Decentralization (regarding both data Decentralization (regarding both data

management and data storage)management and data storage)

DefinitionsDefinitions Search Engine: The mechanism that allows users to find Search Engine: The mechanism that allows users to find

documentsdocuments

Search Request: The query string that prompts the Search Request: The query string that prompts the search engine to respondsearch engine to respond

Search Return Set: The set of documents returned for a Search Return Set: The set of documents returned for a particular search requestparticular search request

Search Space: The set of documents that can potentially Search Space: The set of documents that can potentially be returned by an unspecified search requestbe returned by an unspecified search request

ParametersParameters May vary according to discipline and taskMay vary according to discipline and task

Search and Browse ModesSearch and Browse Modes Random Discovery, Bookshelf Browsing, Exploratory Random Discovery, Bookshelf Browsing, Exploratory

Discovery, Programmatic Research Discovery, Discovery, Programmatic Research Discovery, Particular Resource LocationParticular Resource Location

Quality ControlQuality Control Explicit Peer Review – Our Traditional MethodExplicit Peer Review – Our Traditional Method Emergent Quality Control – Based on Page Rank, Emergent Quality Control – Based on Page Rank,

Citation Rank, Search Space Design, etc.Citation Rank, Search Space Design, etc.

Some Interesting ProblemsSome Interesting Problems

Emergent organization and quality controlEmergent organization and quality control Organic search space design for context-Organic search space design for context-

sensitive searching; automatic subset sensitive searching; automatic subset creationcreation

Interactive visual interface construction to Interactive visual interface construction to navigate large information storesnavigate large information stores

Ethical prioritization of information to Ethical prioritization of information to respect the topical needs of the user and respect the topical needs of the user and the politics of the professionthe politics of the profession

Some SolutionsSome Solutions

Limited Area SearchingLimited Area Searching Dynamic Classification with an Organic Dynamic Classification with an Organic

Formal TaxonomyFormal Taxonomy Document Comparison and Classification Document Comparison and Classification

with a Recursive Artificial Networkwith a Recursive Artificial Network

Limited Area SearchingLimited Area Searching

Targets quality control issue and other Targets quality control issue and other issues connected to relevanceissues connected to relevance

Two-pronged approach divides task into 1) Two-pronged approach divides task into 1) where to search and 2) what to search forwhere to search and 2) what to search for

Three modelsThree models Argos/Hippias – 1996 / 1997Argos/Hippias – 1996 / 1997 Noesis 2.0 and earlier – 1998Noesis 2.0 and earlier – 1998 Noesis 4.0 – 2006Noesis 4.0 – 2006

The Argos/Hippias ModelThe Argos/Hippias Model

First ‘peer-reviewed’ search engine online First ‘peer-reviewed’ search engine online Used a set of ‘associate sites’ to Used a set of ‘associate sites’ to

determine search spacedetermine search space Searched the associate sites and Searched the associate sites and

everything to which they linkedeverything to which they linked

(more)(more)

The Argos/Hippias ModelThe Argos/Hippias Model

Handed editorial control of content over to Handed editorial control of content over to the editors of the associate sitesthe editors of the associate sites

Provided backbone for EAWC context- Provided backbone for EAWC context- sensitive searchingsensitive searching

The Noesis 2.0 ModelThe Noesis 2.0 Model

Based on Plato SE prototype Based on Plato SE prototype Database driven and hand-cataloguedDatabase driven and hand-catalogued Editorial control managed by a team of Editorial control managed by a team of

content editors who manually checked content editors who manually checked author credentialsauthor credentials

Topic tree formation developed by Topic tree formation developed by professional editors (dismal failure with professional editors (dismal failure with important lessons)important lessons)

The Noesis 4.0 ModelThe Noesis 4.0 Model

Search space based on mapping the Search space based on mapping the profession of philosophy onlineprofession of philosophy online

Regions include associations, Regions include associations, departments, faculty webspace, online departments, faculty webspace, online journals and reference worksjournals and reference works

(more)(more)

The Noesis 4.0 ModelThe Noesis 4.0 Model

““By indexing regions, in effect, directories and By indexing regions, in effect, directories and subdirectories, rather than their contents, Noesis subdirectories, rather than their contents, Noesis passes editorial control of its search space over passes editorial control of its search space over to the individuals who, in managing their own to the individuals who, in managing their own web resources, add to, edit, and delete from the web resources, add to, edit, and delete from the content searchable by Noesis…. The result is content searchable by Noesis…. The result is that the shape and texture of Noesis's search that the shape and texture of Noesis's search space is determined organically by credentialed space is determined organically by credentialed scholars whose actions directly determine scholars whose actions directly determine content.”content.”

Dynamic ClassificationDynamic Classification

The Indiana Philosophy Ontology Project The Indiana Philosophy Ontology Project (InPhO)(InPhO)

Targets the organizational issue by Targets the organizational issue by providing an emergent topic tree based on providing an emergent topic tree based on an analysis of the Stanford Encyclopedia an analysis of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP)of Philosophy (SEP)

Artificial intelligence-based with feedback Artificial intelligence-based with feedback from human usersfrom human users

Organic Search Space Design / Organic Search Space Design / Automatic Subset CreationAutomatic Subset Creation

Based on a comparison of semantic Based on a comparison of semantic features using a recursive artificial networkfeatures using a recursive artificial network

Will provide targeted context-sensitive Will provide targeted context-sensitive hypertextualityhypertextuality

Will enable exploratory discovery and Will enable exploratory discovery and “bookshelf browsing” by potentially linking “bookshelf browsing” by potentially linking every document in Noesis’ search space every document in Noesis’ search space to every other relevant documentto every other relevant document

Affordances of Inphormed NoesisAffordances of Inphormed Noesis

Organic and emergent representation of the Organic and emergent representation of the profession of philosophyprofession of philosophy Unbiased judgment of professional importUnbiased judgment of professional import Ability to track changes in the professionAbility to track changes in the profession

Topical catalog that lets documents “speak for Topical catalog that lets documents “speak for themselves”themselves” Emergent paradigm based in a bottom-up cataloging Emergent paradigm based in a bottom-up cataloging

strategystrategy Overcomes the discovery problem even in one’s own Overcomes the discovery problem even in one’s own

area of research; fosters area of research; fosters intraintradisciplinarity disciplinarity

Some LimitationsSome Limitations

Bypasses philosophical resources that are Bypasses philosophical resources that are coming from other professionscoming from other professions

Insofar as InPhO is based in the SEP, Insofar as InPhO is based in the SEP, editorial bias may influence emergent editorial bias may influence emergent representationrepresentation

Model does not currently make allowances Model does not currently make allowances for long-term resource archivingfor long-term resource archiving

Partial BibliographyPartial Bibliography

Beavers, A. F. 1999. Noesis: Philosophical research on-line: An Beavers, A. F. 1999. Noesis: Philosophical research on-line: An experiment in progress. experiment in progress. Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers.Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers.

Beavers, A. F. 1998. Evaluating search engine models for scholarly Beavers, A. F. 1998. Evaluating search engine models for scholarly purposes: A report from the Internet Applications Laboratory. purposes: A report from the Internet Applications Laboratory. D-Lib D-Lib Magazine.Magazine.

Niepert, M., Buckner, C., and Allen, C. 2007 A dynamic ontology for aNiepert, M., Buckner, C., and Allen, C. 2007 A dynamic ontology for adynamic reference work. In Rasmussen, E. M., ACM/IEEE Joint dynamic reference work. In Rasmussen, E. M., ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries, JCDL 2007, Vancouver, BC, Conference on Digital Libraries, JCDL 2007, Vancouver, BC, Canada, June 18-23, 2007, Canada, June 18-23, 2007, ProceedingsProceedings, 288-297. , 288-297.

Suber, P. 2002. Noesis: Is it a library with built-In searching or a search Suber, P. 2002. Noesis: Is it a library with built-In searching or a search engine with a built-in library? engine with a built-in library? Campus TechnologyCampus Technology. .