Over/Under Defined Terms Flashcards
Over/Under Defined Terms Negative Example:
(Terms that rely on purely abstract definitions which do not reference anything or anyone specific. Such terms rely on multiple levels of indirection and tend to produce trance (positive or negative). They are over-defined when we treat the words as ‘real’ in themselves, when in fact they are abstractions, and they are under-defined in the sense that they do not use sufficient specific facts and details that clearly extend to actual referents we can point to or perceive with our senses.)
“I married him because I thought he’d be a good husband.”
Over/Under Defined Terms Positive Challenge:
“If he became a good husband, what specifically would be different?”
Over/Under Defined Terms Negative Example:
(Terms that rely on purely abstract definitions which do not reference anything or anyone specific. Such terms rely on multiple levels of indirection and tend to produce trance (positive or negative). They are over-defined when we treat the words as ‘real’ in themselves, when in fact they are abstractions, and they are under-defined in the sense that they do not use sufficient specific facts and details that clearly extend to actual referents we can point to or perceive with our senses.)
“Crime is caused by problems in socialization.”
Over/Under Defined Terms Positive Challenge:
“What part of socialization causes which specific crimes?”
Over/Under Defined Terms Negative Example:
(Terms that rely on purely abstract definitions which do not reference anything or anyone specific. Such terms rely on multiple levels of indirection and tend to produce trance (positive or negative). They are over-defined when we treat the words like ‘real’ in themselves, when in fact they are abstractions, and they are under-defined in the sense that they do not use sufficient specific facts and details that clearly extend to actual referents we can point to or perceive with our senses.)
“I get impatient because I’m not being productive.”
Over/Under Defined Terms Positive Challenge:
“What do you want to produce?”
