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DEFINITIONS “We’re
in the 4th Grade. We don’t
even know what ‘ethical’ means.” - Cartman |
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A definition
is a statement that specifies the proper application of a term or concept. The defined concept is sometimes called the
definiendum
(that which is defined), while the rest of the definition is called the definiens (that
which does the defining). Rules
for evaluating and constructing definitions: 1) No Counterexamples – Ideally, a
definition provides both necessary
and sufficient conditions for
applying a term: If a
definition’s definiens fails to include stuff that
it should, then it doesn’t provide appropriate necessary conditions; in this case, it is too narrow. If a
definition’s definiens includes stuff that it
should not, then it fails to provide appropriate sufficient conditions; in this case, it is too broad. Here’s an example. Consider the following proposed definition: A bird is an animal that flies In this definition, the definendum
is ‘bird,’ while the definiens is ‘animal that
flies.’ However, the definiens
is too narrow. Penguins are birds, yet
they aren’t flying animals. Thus,
being a flying animal isn’t a necessary condition for being a bird. This definiens is
also too broad. Bats are flying
animals, but they aren’t birds. So
being a flying animal is not a sufficient condition for being a bird. By the way, this example illustrates
something that might at first seem counterintuitive. A
definition’s definiens can be both too broad and
too narrow at the same time 2) Proper Form: Ideally, a
definition’s definiens will include both a genus
and a differentia (lists of examples
do not exhibit proper form!) Genus: The broader class to which a defined concept belongs Differentia: The features that set the defined concept apart from
other members of its genus. 3) Even if a definition has no
counterexamples, a definition might nevertheless fail to focus on just the
right characteristic that makes something belong to a certain concept. That is, definitions need to be based upon Essential
Characteristics 4) Definitions ought to avoid metaphor
and obscurity. 5) Definitions ought to avoid circularity (placing the defined concept or one of
its cognates in the definition). 6) Finally, we ought (as much as
possible) to avoid negative definitions (those that attempt to define
a concept by specifying what the defined concept is not). |
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EXERCISES/EXAMPLES Identify the definiens
and definiendum of each of the following proposed
definitions. Then pick out the
rule-violations in the following definitions. Try to construct better ones. 1. An army is the branch of a country’s
military that uses tanks. 2. A genus is the generic class to which
the referent of a given concept belongs. 3. Beer
is pure goodness. 4.
Beef – it’s what’s for dinner! 5. 6. Psychology is the science that studies
human behavior. 7. A
mullet is business in the front, party in the back! 8.
El Camino, El, El Camino – In the front it’s a car, in the back it’s a
truck….(chant) 9.
Oh, so you mean that an El Camino is the mullet of the car world! 10. A definition is the enclosing a
wilderness of ideas within a wall of words. 11. “Philosophy
is the study of the normative in all its guises.” – R. Brandom,
Reason in Philosophy 12. Ethics is all about not getting punished. 13.
Love is … what I got. 14.
“Love is never having to say you’re sorry.” –
Love Story 15.
“Bottommost (adj): 1. sited
at the very bottom. 2. Being or coming
after all others. Last. 3. UNLV’s
predicted finish in Mountain West Conference football (Rebel Yell, 16. A living thing is any semi-closed physical system
that exploits order it already possesses, and the energy flux through it, in
such a way as to maintain and or increase
its internal order. |