Lessons 1-5 Flashcards
logic
is the science and art of reasoning well
3 Laws of Thought
Law of Excluded Middle
The Law of Identity
Law of Noncontradiction
Law of Excluded Middle
Any statement is either true or false
Law of Identity
If a statement is true, then it is true
Law of Noncontradiction
A statement cannot be both true and false
reasoning
drawing proper conclusions from information we already have
formal logic
deals with the proper modes of reasoning
informal logic
deals with operations of thinking that are indirectly related to reasoning
induction
reasoning with probability from examples or experience to general rules
deduction
reasoning with certainty from premises to conclusions
term
a concept with a precise meaning expressed by one or more words
definition
a statement that gives the meaning of a term
6 purposes of definitions
- show relationships
- remove ambiguity
- reduce vagueness
- increase vocabulary
- explain concepts theoretically
- influence attitudes
5 types of definitions
- lexical def.
- précising def
- stipulative def
- persuasive def
- theoretical def
lexical definition
a single, established meaning of a term(dictionary)
précising definition
they apply only in the situation they are being used
ie small…by small I mean five dollars
stipulative definition
a definition to a new word, a word being used a new way
theoretical definition
definition given to a term, not because the word itself is unfamiliar, but because the term is not understood…h2o…water
persuasive definition
definition that aims to persuade the listener one way or another toward the term being defined
ambiguous
having more than one meaning
vague
one whose extent is unclear
genus
a term that is more general, broad, or abstract than the original term and includes it
ie: dime: a coin worth ten cents
coin is the genus
species
a term that is more specific, narrow or concrete than the original term and is included by it.
ie: dime: a coin worth ten cents
dime is the species
species must always be mutually exclusive, usually they are not exhaustive
species must always by mutually exclusive, usually they are not exhaustive
basic errors when drawing genus/species charts
overlapping species
ambiguous terms
confusing genus/species with part/whole
extension
the sum of all the things described by the term. sum of all the individual objects to which a term applies
intension
the sum of all the common attributes of the term
extension and intension are inversely related
extension and intension are inversely related
increasing intension
becoming more specific
increasing extension
becoming more general, broader, more abstract
3 methods of defining
- by synonym
- by example
- by genus and difference
defining by synonym
explaining a word by using a word you know, use a simple word, easily understood
defining by example
to give a demonstration
list species of a term
usually includes some differing terms, to provide a complete definition
defining by genus and difference
a term is defined by naming its genus, and then adding descriptive words that distinguish that term from every other species under that genus
6 rules for defining by genus and difference
- A definition should state the essential attributes of a term
- A definition should not be circular
- A definition should not be too broad or narrow
- A definition should not be unclear or figurative
- A definition should be stated positively
- A definition should be the same part of speech as the term
