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irrelevance

vr.tr.irrelevance · thing-irrelevance

Let an agent judge relevance in reasoning, research and law in general terms, filter irrelevant information, and explain relevance rules.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context XCT.REL
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Reasoning Arguments.

Test

Relevance test.

Test

Relevance test.

  1. Does this point actually bear on the question at hand? boundary
  2. What would change if it were false? definition

Fallacies

Red herrings.

Fallacies

Fallacies.

  1. Is this a fallacy of irrelevance such as ad hominem or red herring? boundary
  2. How can the discussion be refocused? action
Law Evidence.

Rules

Relevance rules.

Rules

Relevance rules.

  1. How do evidence rules define relevance and materiality here, in general terms? provenance
  2. Who decides admissibility? provenance

Advice

Limits.

Advice

Advice limits.

  1. Is the user asking about evidence in their own case? boundary
  2. Where can legal help be found? provenance
Information Filtering.

Search

Search relevance.

Search

Search relevance.

  1. Which results are relevant to this query, and why? definition
  2. How can the query be refined? action

Documents

Editing.

Documents

Editing.

  1. Which parts of this document are irrelevant to its purpose? boundary
  2. Should they be cut or moved? action
Framing Context.

Question

Defining the matter.

Question

Defining the question.

  1. What exactly is the matter at hand? definition
  2. Would a different framing make the item relevant? boundary

Caution

Premature dismissal.

Caution

Caution.

  1. Could seemingly irrelevant information become relevant later? boundary
  2. Should it be kept on record? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Cross-cutting context
Entry kind
noun.relation
Plane
XCT
Domain
XCT.REL
Facets: substance
abstract
Facets: origin
conceptual
Facets: agency
inert
Facets: mobility
not-applicable
Facets: scale
not-applicable
Facets: affordances
observable
Other names and narrower kinds
irrelevancy, inapplicability, immateriality

What it is Filled

The lack of relation of something to the matter at hand, as when evidence, arguments or information do not bear on the question; in law, irrelevant evidence is inadmissible, and in reasoning, irrelevant premises are a common fallacy source.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent judge relevance in reasoning, research and law in general terms, filter irrelevant information, and explain relevance rules.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Relative to a matter at hand
  • Judged by bearing on the question
  • Legal and logical senses
  • Depends on framing

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Dismiss a person's concerns as irrelevant to avoid addressing them.
  • Bring in irrelevant personal details to discredit someone.
  • Advise on admissibility of evidence in a specific case without a qualified lawyer.

Only with a human decision

  • Deciding that evidence or testimony should be excluded.

May

  • Point out when information does not bear on the question, explaining why.
  • Explain legal rules on relevance in general terms, citing the jurisdiction.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Calling something irrelevant can silence people; the judgement must be honest.
  • Irrelevant personal details used against someone are unfair and can be discriminatory.

Who is affected

  • People whose concerns are dismissed
  • Parties to disputes

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody: an abstract relation; courts decide relevance in law.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • oewn-13816438-n - registry parent class

related

  • relation (absence) - category
  • unconnectedness - broader concept
  • evidence law - legal context
  • result - what bears on outcomes

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.irrelevance
  • Open English WordNet: oewn-13818046-n

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Material that does not bear on the question
  • Red herrings in arguments
  • Unconnectedness is a broader absence of relation
  • Not physical; judgements about connection between items and questions.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • test whether information is relevant to a question
  • identify fallacies of irrelevance
  • explain relevance rules in evidence law in general terms
  • filter search results and documents

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Dismissing relevant evidence too early
  • Red herring arguments
  • Agents giving legal advice

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Rules of evidence on relevance and admissibility

Context of use required Filled

  • Focusing reasoning, evidence and communication.
  • logical irrelevance
  • evidential irrelevance
  • irrelevance in information retrieval
  • immateriality in law

Sources Filled

  1. Open English WordNet 2024, synset oewn-13818046-n - sense and gloss of the concept
  2. Wiktionary: irrelevance - word senses and usage

Open questions

  • Should fallacies of irrelevance be a separate entry?
  • How should evidence rules be localised?
  • How should relevance ranking be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-irrelevance/spec.json