Definitions Flashcards
1
Q
Stimulative definition
A
-assigns meaning to a word for the first time
-coining a new word/giving meaning to an old word
-usually to replace a more complex expression with a simpler one
-e.g. ‘tigon” (lions crossbred with tigers)
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2
Q
Lexical definitions
A
- report meaning that a word already has in a language
- eliminates ambiguity
3
Q
Precising definition
A
-reduces vagueness of a word
4
Q
Theoretical definitions
A
- suggesting a theory that gives a certain characterization to the entities that the term denotes
- neither true/false because they function as proposal to see/interpret some phenomenon in a certain way
5
Q
Persuasive definitions
A
- engender favorable/unfavorable attitude toward what is denoted by the definiendum
- assigning emotionally charged meaning to a word while making it appear that the word really has that meaning in the language in which it is used
- synthesis with stimulative, lexical, theoretical definitions is possible
- e.g. ‘abortion‘ earns the ruthless murdering of innocent human beings
6
Q
Demonstrative (ostensive) definitions
A
- gesture of pointing
- most primitive and most limited
- gesture must count as a word
7
Q
Enumeration definitions
A
- naming the members of the class the term denotes
- relatively few classes can be completely enumerated
8
Q
Definition by subclass
A
- naming subclasses
- e.g. ‘tree means an oak, pine, elm, maple
- complete definitions by subclass are often difficult/ impossible
9
Q
Synonymous definition
A
- definiens is a shingle word that connotes the same attributes as the definiendum
- e.g. ‘physician’ means doctor
- only lexical definitions
10
Q
Etymological definition
A
- assigns meaning to a word by disclosing the word’s ancestry in both its own language and other languages
- conveys word’s root meaning/seminal meaning from which all other associated meanings are derived
- one often has access to meaning of an entire constellation of related words
11
Q
Operational definition
A
- assigns meaning to a word by specifying certain experimental procedures that determine whether or not the word applied to a certain thing
- e.g. ‘brain activity’ means that an EEG shows oscillations when attached to a patients head
-problem: usually convey only part of intensional meaning of a term
12
Q
Definition by genus and difference
A
- identifying genus term and one/more difference words, that convey meaning of the term being definiendum
- genus: relatively larger class
- species: relatively smaller subclass of genus
- specific difference: attribute that distinguish the various species with a genus
-e.g. ice (species) means frozen (difference) water (genus)
