PHIL2420 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Definition, Ostensive Definition, Persuasive Definition
4 May 2018
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Department
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PHIL2420(
9(
5. Theories,(Definition,(Observation(and(Bias(
(
2.#Thinking#and#Writing#Clearly#
2.1#Literal#Meaning#
− Literal(meaning(of(a(sequence(of(words(is(determined(by(its(grammatical(properties(and(the(
meanings(that(are(conventionally(assigned(to(the(individual(words(
− Conversational(implication(is(the(information(that(a(speaker(implicitly(conveys(in(a(particular(
context,(distinct(from(the(literal(meaning(of(what(might(have(been(said(
2.2#Connecting#Ideas#
− Give(examples(to(ensure(understanding(
− Define(the(full(meaning(of(a(term(
− Point(out(distinctive(consequences(
− Compare(and(contrast(the(idea(from(others(
− Break(down(a(complex(system(to(see(how(its(part(interact(with(each(other(
− Effective(writing(and(presentation(
o Know(your(audience(
o What(is(your(central(message(and(why(is(it(important?(
o Organise(your(ideas(
o Be(simple(and(direct(
(
3.#Definitions#
− Useful(in(explaining(and(clarifying(meaning(
− Two(parts(
o Definiendum(–(term(being(defined(
o Definiens(–(words(that(define(the(definiendum(
− A(term(is(referring(expression(in(a(language(made(up(of(one(or(more(words(
− Referent(of(a(term(is(what(the(term(refers(to(
− Concept(associated(with(a(term(is(an(idea(that(encapsulates(our(understanding(of(them(term(
3.1#Reportive#Definition#
− Reportive(definition(is(also(known(as(a(lexical(definition(and(reports(the(existing(meaning(of(a(term(
3.2#Stipulative#Definition#
− Used(to(assign(a(new(meaning(to(a(term,(whether(or(not(the(term(has(an(existing(meaning(
3.3#Precising#Definition#
− To(make(the(meaning(of(a(term(more(precise(
− Factual(disputes(are(disagreements(about(facts(rather(than(meaning(
3.4(Criteria#for#Good#Definitions#
− Extension(of(a(term(is(the(set(of(things(to(which(the(term(applies(
− Intension(of(a(term(is(its(meaning(
− Circular(definition(is(one(where(the(definiens(cannot(be(understood(without(knowing(the(meaning(of(
the(definiendum,(e.g.(definition(of(time(“a(quantity(measured(by(clocks(or(watches”.(This(definition(is(
circular(because(we(cannot(fully(explain(what(clocks(and(watching(are(without(saying(they(measure(
time(
− Definitions(should(avoid(obscure(and(metaphorical(language((
− Persuasive(definition(is(one(that(attaches(a(positive(or(negative(emotional(meaning(to(a(term(when(
there(is(in(fact(no(such(association(
3.5#Definition#Techniques#
− Definition(by(synonym(is(when(a(word(is(defined(by(giving(another(term(that(has(exactly(the(same(
meaning(
− Ostensive(definition(explains(the(meaning(of(a(term(by(giving(examples(
− GenusVdifferentia(is(giving(a(broad(category(to(the(term(
(
(
