Abstract
Entailment Mesh is a mediated social network enabling workgroup brainstorming. The objective of the project is to explore methods of group interaction within ubiquitous information networks and the development of languaging techniques for the emergence of domain specific knowledge.

Workgroup members use Palm VII Organizers that are subscribed to a community knowledge model on a dedicated server via the Palm.net wireless Internet connection. User interaction with the server is enabled by a custom designed Palm VII web applications interface. This interface provides for:

1. Text input from the user to be included in workgroup knowledge modeldatabase.
2. Text input triggering of a request for the knowledge model to be data mined.
3. Display of the result in the form of a new request for input.

Meta profiles of each workgroup member establish guiding conversational associations that enable the knowledge model to continuously evolve by directing search coordination of conversational fluidity and the search and information gathering from external WEB resources that compliments the database.

Entailment Mesh is based upon conversational and learning systems theory. In the late 1970’s Information Theorists Gordon Pask and Paul Pangaro at MIT developed the protocols for a machine conversational and learning system called DoWhatDo. DoWhatDo is a method in which expertise in the form of a knowledge model was set into a conversational

interaction with other knowledge models of differing expertise. Using a relatively simple set of action/reaction algorithms the knowledge models interacted to emerge multiple layers of knowledge distinct from the original models.

Engines-Sex-Leather = Motorcycles

The significant accomplishment is the recognition that learning evolves from conversational interaction in which the outcome is driven by the conversation itself and cannot be entirely predicted. Entailment Mesh uses a similar approach. Expertise is not built into knowledge models but is resident in the individual workgroup members who participate in a computer-mediated conversation. This involves consenuality of interacting actors in a given environment., self-organization and social semiosis of the database filtering mechanisms and the emergence of knowledge feedback into the conversational dynamic.

Bio

Joel Slayton is CEO of C5, and part of the CADRE Institute at San Jose State University in California.