Unit 1

Question 1

What six things can/do definitions do?

Answer 1

Show relationships, remove ambiguity, reduce vagueness, increase vocabulary, explain concepts theoretically, and influence attitudes.

Question 2

term

Answer 2

A concept that is expressed precisely in words.

Question 3

definition

Answer 3

A statement that gives the meaning of a term.

Question 4

What is the difference between a term and a word?

Answer 4

One word can carry the meaning of many terms, the same term can be expressed with different words.

Question 5

When and why is it extremely important to define your terms?

Answer 5

At the beginning of any debate because you want to argue about substance, not words.

Question 6

What does “love” mean biblically?

Answer 6

To treat the other person lawfully from the heart.

Question 7

lexical definition

Answer 7

A definition that shows relationships or reduces ambiguity by providing a single, established meaning of a term.

Question 8

precising definition

Answer 8

A definition that seeks to make more precise what was previously vague or fuzzy.

Question 9

stipulative definition

Answer 9

A definition for when a new word is invented or an existing word is applied in a new way.

Question 10

theoretical definition

Answer 10

A definition used not because the word itself is unfamiliar, but because the term is not understood.

Question 11

persuasive definition

Answer 11

A definition aimed at persuading the listener one way or another toward the term being defined.

Question 12

genus

Answer 12

A term that is more general, broad, or abstract than the original term and includes it.

Question 13

species

Answer 13

A term that is more specific, narrow, or concrete than the original term and is included by it.

Question 14

What is the plural of “genus?”

Answer 14

Genera

Question 15

What is meant by “the words genus and species are relative terms?”

Answer 15

Each term can be both a genus and a species - a genus of the terms below it, and a species of the term above it.

Question 16

What’s different with the hierarchies in logic vs. biology?

Answer 16

In logic the only two levels are genus and species.

Question 17

mutually exclusive

Answer 17

The species do not overlap.

Question 18

exhaustive

Answer 18

No other species exist.

Question 19

Genus and species charts can be drawn very differently depending on what?

Answer 19

The principle used to divide and categorize items.

Question 20

What’s a common mistake when making a hierarchy chart?

Answer 20

Using part/whole instead of genus/species.

Question 21

extension (of a term)

Answer 21

The sum of all the individual objects described by it.

Question 22

intension (of a term)

Answer 22

The sum of all the common attributes denoted by the term.

Question 23

How are extension and intension related?

Answer 23

Inversely.

Question 24

What is increased extension parallel to?

Answer 24

Increased abstraction.

Question 25

What is an increasing in intension accompanied by?

Answer 25

An increase in concreteness.

Question 26

What’s strange about the relationship between intension and extension?

Answer 26

It’s possible to increase intension without simultaneously decreasing extension.

Question 27

What will understanding extension and intension help you with?

Answer 27

Grasping various relationships among terms.

Question 28

What are the 3 primary methods of definition?

Answer 28

Genus and difference, synonym, and example.

Question 29

Who wrote a book that identified a lot of defining terms?

Answer 29

The great Cassiodorus Senator (c. 480-575.)

Question 30

What was the name of the book that identified a lot of methods of definition?

Answer 30

An Introduction to Divine and Human Readings.

Question 31

What were the (roughly) 15 methods of defining terms listed in the book?

Answer 31

genus and difference, synonym, example, notational, qualitative, descriptive, distinguishing, metaphorical, negation of the opposite, use of image, statement of what is lacking, by way of praise or blame, proportional, relational, and causational.

Question 32

What should you do when defining by example?

Answer 32

Include several differing terms to ensure your definition is complete enough.

Question 33

What is (usually) the best way to define a term?

Answer 33

Using genus and difference.

Question 34

How does the genus and difference method work?

Answer 34

You state the genus and then add descriptive words that distinguish it from other species.

Question 35

What comes first, genus or difference?

Answer 35

Either one.

Question 36

How should you use attributes in a definition, and why?

Answer 36

Use only essential attributes because it conveys the most relevant information about the term and avoids redundancy.

Question 37

What should you avoid using in definitions that use genus and difference?

Answer 37

Synonyms.

Question 38

What are the six rules for defining by genus and difference?

Answer 38

A definition should: state the essential attributes of the term, not be circular, not be to broad nor too narrow, not be unclear or figurative, be stated positively (if possible), and be of the same part of speech as the term.

Question 39

Is it possible to break genus/species definition rule 5 without actually doing so?

Answer 39

Yes, is the word itself is necessarily negative, since it would be awkward if written positively.

Question 40

What signals a problem with a definition?

Answer 40

The use of words like “where” and “when.”

Question 41

What sort of definition would be found in a dictionary?

Answer 41

Lexical.

Question 42

What is a limitation of defining by synonym?

Answer 42

Many words do not have exact synonyms.