Meaning and Definition

Over the years philosophers have held various conflicting views about the purpose of definition. For most logicians today, however, definitions are intended exclusively to explicate the meaning of words. A definition therefore is a group of words that assign a meaning to some word or group of words. It consists of two parts:

DEFINITION
definiendum word to be defined	definiens words that do the defining

1.Purposes of Definition

a. to increase vocabulary – There are situations when a deliberate explanation of the meaning of terms is required. To explain the meaning of a term is to give a definition to it. To understand what is being said, it is necessary to find out what the words mean and here a definition is required.

b. to eliminate ambiguity – it is not always clear what sense of a given word is intended. To resolve ambiguity a definition is required to specify the different meanings of the ambiguous word or phrase.

c. to reduce vagueness – Sometimes the limits of the applicability of the meaning of a term are not clear. There is a need for clarification and this is accomplished by giving a definition of the term that will permit a decision as to its applicability in a given situation where it was previously doubtful.

d. to explain theoretically – Technical terms carry a meaning of their own. To define is to elaborate the meaning that a term carries in a particular discipline like science among others.

e. to influence attitudes – There is a way to influence attitudes or stir the emotions and this is done by defining a term with a certain stant of meaning.

2.Classification of Definitions

a. stipulative definition – assigns meaning to new symbols.

b. lexical definition – reports the established usage of a term.

c. precising definition – helps to decide borderline cases of ambiguous meanings.

d. theoretical definition – attempts to formulate an adequate characterization of the objects to which it is applied.

e. persuasive definition – functions expressively to influence attitudes.

3.Techniques of Definition

DENOTATIVE	CONNOTATIVE
definition by giving examples or describing the objects being defined.	definition by genus and specific difference

1. Denotative Techniques – extensional – to define a term by indicating

the members of the class to which the definiendum refers.

a.1. by pointing them – demonstrative or ostensive – ex. A chair

means this, a table that; cafeteria here, infirmary there.

a.2. by naming them individually – enumerative – ex. Actor means

Gregory Peck, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson

a.3. by naming the individuals in group – subclass – ex. Vertebrate

means mammals, fishes, amphibians, birds; fiction means a poem,

novel, drama.

2. Connotative Techniques – intensional – to define a term by indicating the qualities or attributes that the world connotes.

1.by giving an equivalent term – synonymous – Physician means

doctor; Intentional means willful means deliberate.

To define by synonym requires that the definiens has the same intentional meaning as the definiendum. Also, the definiens must be simpler, more common or understandable in order to shed light on the definiendum. The following violate this last requirement: Concealed means clandestine or sob rosa. Esoteric means abstruse.

2.by specifying certain experimental procedures that determine

whether or not the word applies to a certain thing

- operational – ex. A solution is an acid if and only if litmus paper

turns red when placed in contact with it. One substance is

harder than another if and only if one scratches the other when

the two are rubbed together.

3.by identifying the genus and the specific difference. Genus

refers to a relatively large class to which the definiendum

belongs. Specific difference refers to the attribute which

distinguishes the definiendum from other members of the genus.

- ex. Ice is frozen water: Water is the genus and frozen is

the specific difference.

4.Rules for Defining

Rule 1	A definition should convey the essential meaning of the word being defined. Man is a rational animal / Man is being who smiles.
Rule 2	A definition should be neither too broad now too narrow. In some instances the context in which the definiens is used must be indicated. A school is a public institution of learning / A fish is an animal.
Rule 3	A definition must not be circular. The word to be defined should not be contained in the definition. A circle is a circular object. Silence means the state of being silent.
Rule 4	A definition should not be negative when it can be affirmative. Peace means harmony / Peace means the absence of war.
Rule 5	A definition should not be expressed in figurative, obscure, vague, or ambiguous language. A window is an orifice in an edifice to admit certain emissions of light energy. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the guarantee of things unseen.
Rule 6	A definition should avoid affective terminology. Communism is the brilliant invention of Karl Marx and other foolish political visionaries in which the national wealth is supposed to be held in common by the people.