Innovation

Full Title or Meme

The application of new ideas that cause disruption of existing patterns and traditions and how those disruptions impact Identifiers. Innovations are also required to accommodate Ecosystem changes as they occur.

Whenever a system of any sort gets stuck in a rut, it is either because the system is already well-adapted to the current environment, or because all of the methods of solving a problem have been tried, but nothing works better than what is already known and in use. In the term of the book, "What Got you Here Wont get you There".

This page is primarily focused on Identifiers used in data processing. It is worth noting that knowing the name of something typically will tell you nothing about the thing named. For privacy reason that is a very good thing indeed, but in most cases we also know to know at least some of the Attributes or Behaviors of that named object in order to make any use of it whatsoever.

Context

• Identifiers have been discussed at least since the time that Adam was given the authority to name the animals of the world. (Genesis 2:19)
• Chinese have been using family names since around 2,800 BC. Supposedly this was decreed by Emperor Fushi for all, not just the rich.
• Caesar determined that all the world should be taxed. He had them go to their ancestral home to be enumerated. (Luke 2:1)
• William the conqueror determined that all of the British Isles should be taxed. He created the doomsday book.
• The Roman use of family name (Gens) died out with the Roman empire, but really only ever applied to the landed aristocracy where it continue in use.
• In Britain last names became popular as people lost their binding to the land. Henry VIII ordered that legal events be recorded to make tax collection easier, which led to the addition of surnames (see section below).

In other words, necessity (to raise money, workers or armies) is the mother of Innovation in identity, as in much else that we use today.

Examples in Identity

The Naming of People

Innovation is impacting Identifiers applied to people. In Roman times, the family name (gens) was important, in Ancient Israel it was the tribal association. In western land the patronym became common. In Spain the matronym is added after the patronym. The Picts of Scotland used just the matronym. Confusion was created when the location of these surnames turned out to be very different in different parts of the world. In 2024 we are still trying to reconcile these traditions with technology.

1. Dissolution of Monasteries: Henry VIII dissolved numerous monasteries and convents as part of the English Reformation. These religious institutions had often been centers of education, record-keeping, and administration. With their dissolution, many records were lost, including those containing information about lineage and family names.
2. Land Ownership and Taxation: As part of his reforms, Henry implemented a system of land ownership and taxation. To efficiently collect taxes and administer land, it became essential to have clear identification of individuals. Surnames played a crucial role in this process.
3. Formation of Parish Registers: The dissolution of monasteries also led to the establishment of parish registers. These registers recorded baptisms, marriages, and burials within parishes. Surnames were used to distinguish individuals, especially in densely populated areas.
4. Standardization and Legal Documentation: Henry’s government emphasized the need for standardized legal documentation. Surnames facilitated legal transactions, inheritance, and property rights. People began adopting fixed family names, which were passed down through generations.
5. Social Mobility and Identity: The use of surnames allowed for greater social mobility. Individuals could establish their identity beyond their occupation or location. It also provided a sense of belonging and lineage

While Henry VIII didn’t explicitly demand the use of surnames, his policies indirectly encouraged their adoption. The dissolution of monasteries, administrative reforms, and the need for clear identification all contributed to the widespread use of surnames in England.

And in China where the surname is the first name:

1. Chinese mythology traces the establishment of surnames back to the legendary figure Fuxi (with the surname Feng). Fuxi is said to have introduced surnames to distinguish different families and prevent marriages between people with the same family names.
2. Prior to the Warring States period (around the fifth century BC), only ruling families and the aristocratic elite possessed surnames.
3. These surnames are exclusively patronyms. Women typically do not change their surnames upon marriage, except in places with more Western influences. Meanwhile western countries are either combining patronyms and matronyms or following the Chinese tradition of allowing women to keep their surname after marriage.

Technology

Unfortunately technology is created mostly in European-originated countries so we have absurdities like the following which mixes the idea of Surname (a logical type) with Firstname (a position type). Clearly this is an absurdity brought about by chauvinistic attitudes of developers.

   "familyName": "Castafiori",
   "firstName": "Bianca",

• Draft Model Law on the Use and Cross-border Recognition of Identity Management and Trust Services goes into some detail on named trust registries.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine-readable_passports have varying name fields based on the available space in the electronic readable part. It is known as Surname followed by Given Names (abbreviated if necessary). It is not clear if either the surname or the given names are actually lists (or includes spaces).
• It can be instructive to look at a passport from Spain to see how they accommodate matronyms.
  • The name Jose Antonio Johan Palme Sierra - their preferred name is Johan and the last name in the US is the patronym Palme.
  • On the passport the name is "Palme" space "Sierra" doubleapace "Jose" space "Antonio" space "Johan".
  • In other words, a surname (that might contain spaces), a double space and a given name (that might contain spaces).
• Legal name may not match the name given in a digital transactions. Context is important.

Problem

• Technology innovation does: upend the patterns, habits and values of tradition.
• Technology innovation does not determine: causes, values, reactions, outcomes.
• People have evolved to seek out causes based on patterns. That has helped them to survive. But see page on Apophenia for the downside to that.
• People now believe that their identity is personal property that they can manage. Governments still need to raise money, workers and armies. Conflict is inevitable.

Solutions

• There are few functional naming services today, for example:

1. DOI
2. DNS
3. URN

Compare with other solutions like: