Kinds of Definitions:
Definitions
I. Tell us what concepts are and how related to other concepts.
A. Function of definitions.
1. Tell us the criteria for membership in the class of referents and what is and is not
included in a concept.
2. Clarifies the relationships among concepts.
3. Summarizing the referents of our concepts.
B. Good definition condenses knowledge we have about the referents.
1. Highlights.
2. Key points.
C. Must have:
1. Genus.
2. Differentia.
a. Genus names the wider class.
b. Differentia differentiates a concept from other species.
c. Specifies an essential attribute.
I. Kinds of definitions:
A. There are at least 30 different kinds of definitions. (Try to find some other types)
1. Circular Definition: presents the meaning of a term either by using the same
term with the same meaning in the definiens, or by using
grammatical variation of the term. Considered a fallacious means of
definition, even though most kinds of definitions are circular themselves.
Circulus in definiendo is Latin for circularity in defining. Examples of
circular definition are:
a. A dancer is one who dances.
b. A teacher is one who teaches.
2. Cognitive Definition
3. Connotative or Intensional Definition: assigns meaning to a term by
indicating the qualities, or attributes that the term connotes. Three kinds
of intensional definition are:
a. Synonymous Definition: in which one term means or has the same
attributes as the word being defined or a definition wherein, the
definiendum and definiens are interchangeable. Defining something by giving a list of cognate
terms with identical meanings. The paradigm for synonymous
definition is the translation from one language into another. As in defining:
1) Physician means a Doctor,
2) Lawyer means an Attorney.
3) To hate means to loathe.
b. Operational Definition assigns a meaning to a term by specifying certain
experimental procedures that determine whether, or not the term applies in a
particular context. For example: One substance is harder than another if and only if, one
scratches the other when the two are rubbed together. Also, by indicating the
actions, operations, activities, or procedures, which the term symbolically implies and which
when performed serves as its meaning; as in the case of:
1) The term length means: Taking a measuring
stick, such as a foot ruler, placing it on an object to
be measured, so that one end of the stick
coincides with one end of the object, then marking
where the other end of the stick ends,
then moving the stick along the object in a straight
line until the previous end point coincides with
the previous position of the second end point.
Repeating this process as often as
necessary and noting the total number of
times the operation was performed, constitutes the
length of the object being measured.
c. Definition by Genus and Difference, (L. Genus Et Differentia) assigns
meaning to a term by identifying a genus term and one, or more difference
terms, that when combined, convey the meaning of the term being defined, or defining by giving
the characteristics, for differentia of a class that distinguish it
from other sub-classes, that also fall within a more general class, the Genus. Some examples are:
Species:
Difference: Genus:
Ice means:
frozen water
Human means:
rational animal
Automobile means:
passenger vehicle
4. Contextual Definition or Definition in Use, does not give a definition which
allows for the substitution of one term for another. Instead, a paraphrase is
offered and replaces the term to be defined, by another sentence, or expression in which the term
does not occur. As in: A is the brother of B, means A is male and has the same
parents as B does. Can also be a definition which defines a term by establishing a context for it
or indicating the context which gives it meaning. An example would be: X is
defined as being soft when it yields easily to the touch. Definition of an
expression as it occurs in a larger expression.
5. Co-ordinative Definition: The co-ordination of a concept of a physical theory
with an actual physical process. As in: In geometry, a straight line may be coordinated
with the path of a light ray. The definition of a theoretical term by using non-theoretical terms,
as in defining a meter as: A unit of measurement equal to one forty-millionth of
the earth’s circumference.
6. Denotative, or Extensional Definition by naming: Assigns a meaning to a term
indicating the members of the class that the definition denotes. There are three
kinds of denotative definition, they are:
a. Demonstrative or Ostensive Definition, which is definition by literally
pointing out, showing, illustrating, feeling, actual examples of
something in the world. An example: The term chair means: this, point to a chair.
b. Enumerative Definition: Assigns meaning to a term by naming the
members of the class the term applies to, for instance, Planet means:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus or Pluto. Listing examples of the
term being defined, as in defining a U.S. President by naming some of the
presidents: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton, George Bush etc.. Also, giving a
list of examples to which the term in question can be correctly
applied, as in, A bird means such things as: Blue bird, sparrow, pigeon,
chicken, hawk, eagle, condor.
c. Definition by Sub-class, assigns meaning to a term by naming
subclasses of the class applied by the term, as in, Tree means: Maple,
Oak, Pine, Ohia, Kukui, Koa, or in, Government means: Oligarchy, theocracy, dyarchy, triarchy,
duumvirate, triumvirate, gerontocracy, aristocracy,
democracy, etc..
7. Descriptive Definition:
8. Essential, or Essence, or Real definition, gives the essence of something from
among the characteristics possessed by it, one that is unique and
hierarchically superior in that it states either, the most important characteristic of the thing,
and/or that characteristic upon which the others depend on for their
existence. Definition by essence looks for a single, objectively, existing, essence. For example: a
human being is a animal that laughs or an animal that creates and uses tools, or an
animal that cooks its food, or an animal that has an opposable thumb. Definition by essence
aims for a single objectively existing essence.
9. Explicit definition: Any definition that makes it clear that it is a definition and
identifies the term being defined; Father means: male parent, or for any x, x is a
father by definition if and only if x is a male parent.
10. Functional Definition, defines a term in terms of the functions something
performs. Functional definitions are extrinsic they do not stress the defining
characteristics peculiar to the thing itself, but the functions of the thing and its relations to other
things. Example: Defining a referee in connection with what he does in the game he is
refereeing in, such as blowing a whistle to stop play, assessing penalties, enforcing rules, etc..
11. Grammatical Definition:
12. Historical Definition, defines a term in reference to the history of the thing being
defined. Historical definitions are extrinsic, in that they do not stress the
characteristics peculiar to things themselves, but instead, present its external relations to other
things and the sequential events involving or surrounding them.
13. Implicit Definition, in a set of axioms which implicitly defines the undefined
terms in them by, in effect, confining the references of the terms to the intended
ones.
14. Impredicative Definition is the definition of an object in terms of a totality of
which it is a member.
15. Ideational Definition:
16. Lexical or Customary or Reportive Definition is the Dictionary Definition of a
term and is used to report meaning that a word already has in common, or
ordinary, established language usage. Classifiable as either true, or false, depending on whether
it does, or does not report the way the word is actually used in the language.
17. Loaded Definition, gives the meaning of term in a prejudicial, or biased way and
is often associated with propaganda. An example would be: A definition of
fishing, as a fish on one end of a line and a fool on the other. Or the only good infidel is a dead
infidel.
18. Nominal Definition or Verbal Definition, is a definition, which explains the
meaning of a word or symbol, as opposed to a real definition, which
gives the definition of an existent thing. Example: A triangle is the name of a plane figure
comprised of three, connected, straight sides that form three angles equaling
180 degrees, giving the linguistic meaning of the term.
19. Persuasive or Rhetorical Definition is designed to engender a favorable, or
unfavorable attitude toward what is being denoted by the definition. This is
accomplished by assigning an emotionally charged or value-laden meaning to a word, by making
it appear that the word really has that meaning in the language in which it
is used. Opposing pairs of persuasive definitions of the term Liberal would be: Liberal means, a
bleeding heart do gooder, obsessed with giving away other peoples money. Liberal also
means, a genuine humanitarian, committed to the goals of adequate housing,
health care and equal opportunity for all Americans. Also by giving the meaning of terms in an
emotive, expressive way in order to influence the attitudes, values, beliefs,
emotions and goals of others. An example: The true meaning of a teacher is one who relates to
his students on a personal level and enthusiastically guides them to sources of
information. This kind of definition is prevalent in advertising.
20. Phonological Definition:
21. Predicative Definition:
22. Recursive, or Inductive Definition: Contains two parts, a basis clause, in which
the definition does not occur and a inductive step in which the definition does
occur. An example would be: A direct ancestor would be someone's parents, grand parents, great
grand parents etc. Formalizing this we could get: X is a direct ancestor of Y, if X
is a parent of Y, or is a parent of a direct ancestor of Y. Also, a definition in which a variation of
the word defined occurs in the definiens, thereby avoiding the appearance of circularity,
as in defining AA father as a male parent. In mathematics, defining a number,
theoretic function, or predicate term, by assigning value or values to the number, theoretic
function, or predicate. Recursive definitions are an important variety of
contextual definitions.
23. Referential Definition:
24. Semantic Definition:
25. Semiotic Definition:
26. Situational Definition:
27. Stipulative or Legislative or Précising or Restricting Definition: Assigns meaning
to a term for the first time, either by coining a new term like Xerox, for copying
machine, or by giving a new meaning to an old term, as in using 'Nuke it', for micro waving
something. Also, the definiens is intentionally limited in meaning and/or is
assigned a specific meaning for consistency and clarity of communication and as a matter of
preference, indicates how the user of the term intends the term to be understood.
An example would be: We propose to restrict the meaning of the term, 'college' to a four-
year institution of higher learning. A new term chosen arbitrarily to assign
meaning for the sake of brevity when expressing a new concept, secrecy added
precision, avoidance of emotive connotation or standardization. An example: When Norbert
Weiner coined the term 'cybernetics' he gave it the Stipulative definition, as "the science
of communication and control systems".
1. Précising or Restricting Definition is a specific form of a Stipulative
definition, where specific and explicit meanings are attached and can only
be attached to a term to reduce the vagueness of a term so a decision can be reached as to the
applicability of the term in a specific context: Poor means, having an annual
income below the poverty level or less than $5,000 and a net worth of less than $15,000. Or, for
the purpose of this lecture, the term 'argument' means, a persuasive appeal, or chain
of reasoning comprised of two sets of statements, a conclusion and a set of
premises offered in support of the conclusion.
28. Syntactical Definition: defines the notational conventions that prescribe the ways,
or rules, in which certain signs, symbols, or expressions will represent or be
substituted for other particular variables, signs, symbols, or expressions, in a language. In
symbolic logic, the logical connectives or logical operators, and their symbolic
notations are defined as follows:
NEGATION ~
AND •
OR
IF
IFF
29. Theoretical Definition: provides a theoretical construct or characterization of the
term denoted by the definiendum so as to provide a way of viewing a conceptual
framework for the entity, or entities denoted by the term, which suggests deductive
consequences, further investigation, experimentation, or anything else that accepting
the theory of said entities would entail, as in, The word heat means the energy associated with
the random motion of molecules in a given unit of mass. Does more than assign
meaning to a term, provides the means to conceive of the physical phenomena of heat
itself.
The following kinds of definitions are relevant to the study of Logic:
30. Denotative Definition:
Term used names particular objects, or instances, in existence. Ostensively point
it out.
'A chair, this (pointing to it) is a chair'.
31. Connotative Definition: Terms intensional meaning: Understanding what is
intended by the term as it is used. You understand what the intension of the term chair
is, so you don't come in and sit on the desk.
32. Stipulative Definition: A term that specifics meaning operationally, i.e.: In math,
a circle can be defined as the loci of all points equidistant
from a center point.
33. Lexical Definition: Literally, the dictionary definition of a term, that is
classifiable as either true or false. Problem with this is that it is too
strong. There is a sub-cultural bias built into all language.
Fast
Snow Many different meanings.
water