GROUP 5

THE MEANING OF DEFINITION:

Good definitions are plainly very helpful in eliminating verbal disputes, but there are other uses of
definition that are important in logic. Before distinguishing these uses, one feature of all definitions
must be emphasized:
Definitions are definitions of symbols (not of objects), because only symbols have the
meanings that definitions may explain.
To illustrate, we can define the word “chair” because it has meaning; but a chair itself we cannot
define. We can sit on a chair, or paint it, or burn it, or describe it—but we cannot define it because
an actual chair is not a symbol that has a meaning to be explained. Sometimes we say,
misleadingly, that the thing is being defined; in fact, what we define are always symbols.
Two commonly used technical terms are useful in discussing definitions. The definiendum is the
symbol being defined. The definiens is the symbol (or group of symbols) used to explain the
meaning of the definiendum. Put otherwise, the definiendum is the term to be defined and the
definiens is the definition of it.
For example, in the definition “Tiger means a large, striped, ferocious feline indigenous to the
jungles of India and Asia,” the word “tiger” is the definiendum, and everything after the word
“means‘” is the definiens.
The definiens is not itself the meaning of the definiendum; rather, it is the group of words that
symbolizes (or that is supposed to symbolize) the same meaning as the definiendum. Because we
presumably know in advance what the definiens symbolizes, we are led, via the definition, to
understand what the definiendum symbolizes. It is in this way that the definition “assigns” a
meaning to its definiendum.

THE TYPES AND PURPOSES OF DEFINITIONS:

There are various kinds of definitions that are actually used in our practical life. Based on the
functions that they actually serve, definitions can be classified into five: stipulative, lexical,
précising, theoretical, and persuasive definitions.
Let us discuss them in detail
1. Stipulative Definitions

A stipulative definition assigns a meaning to a word for the first time. This may involve
either coining a new word or giving a new meaning to an old word. The purpose of a
stipulative definition is usually to replace a more complex expression with a simpler one.
 Some new phenomenon or development often occasions the need for a stipulative
definition.
For example, an attempt, which has made a few years ago at a particular zoo to crossbreed
tigers and lions, has been succeeded because of the genetic similarity of the two species-
that offspring were produced from a male tiger and a female lion and a male lion and a
female tiger.
When the offspring were born, it became appropriate to give them names. Of course, the
expressions "offspring of a male tiger and female lion "and "offspring of a male lion and
female tiger" could have been used, but these names were hardly convenient. Instead, the
names "tigon" and "liger" were selected. Hence, "Tigon" was taken to mean the
offspring of a male tiger and a female lion, and "liger" was the offspring of a male lion and
a female tiger. These assignments of meanings were accomplished through stipulative
definitions.
Another use for stipulative definitions is to set up secret codes. For example, during World
War II, “Tora, Tora, Tora” was the code name Admiral Yamamoto transmitted to the war
office in Tokyo signaling that the Japanese fleet had not been spotted in the hours preceding
the bombing of Pearl Harbor. More recently, “Operation Desert Storm” was the code name
given to the military invasion of Iraq. Law enforcement organizations have adopted similar
code names for sting operations against organized crime.
It is important to note that because a stipulative definition is neither true nor false; it is
neither accurate nor inaccurate. A symbol defined by a stipulative definition did not have
that meaning before it was given that meaning by the definition, so the definition cannot
be a report of the term’s meaning.
2. Lexical Definitions

Most often the term being defined has some established use. Dictionary definitions
are all instances of lexical definitions. Thus, in contrast with a stipulative definition,
a lexical definition may be true or false depending on whether it does or does not
report the way a word is actually used. Because words are frequently used in more
than one-way, lexical definitions have the further purpose of eliminating the
ambiguity that would otherwise arise if one of these meanings were to be confused
with another.

An expression is ambiguous when it can be interpreted as having two or more clearly

distinct meanings in a given context. Words such as “light,” “mad,” and “bank” can be
used ambiguously. Because a lexical definition lists the various meanings that a word can
have, a person who consults such a definition is better prepared to avoid ambiguous
constructions of his or her own and to detect those of others. Undetected ambiguity causes
the most trouble. In many cases the problem lies not with the obvious differences in
 meaning that words such as “light” and “bank” may have but with the subtle shadings of
meaning that are more likely to be confused with one another.

For example, if a woman is described as “nice,” any number of things could be intended.
She could be fastidious, refined, modest, pleasant, attractive, or even lewd. A good lexical
definition will distinguish these various shadings and thereby guard against the possibility
that two such meanings will be unconsciously jumbled together into one.

3. Précising Definitions

The purpose of a précising definition is to reduce the vagueness of a word. An

expression is vague if there are borderline cases in which it is impossible to tell if the word
applies or does not apply. Words such as “fresh,” “rich,” and “poor” are vague. Once the
vagueness of such words is reduced by a précising definition, one can reach a decision as
to the applicability of the word to a specific situation.

For example, if legislation were ever introduced to give direct financial assistance to the
poor, a précising definition would have to be supplied specifying exactly who is poor and
who is not. The definition “Poor” means “having an annual income of less than $4,000
and a net worth of less than $20,000” is an example of a précising definition.

Another example involves the practice of surgical transplantation of vital organs. Before a
heart transplant can be conducted, the donor must be dead; otherwise, the surgeon will be
accused of murder. If the donor is dead for too long, however, the success of the transplant
will be imperiled. But exactly when is a person considered to be dead? Is it when the heart
stops beating, when the person stops breathing, when rigor mortis sets in, or some other
time? The question involves the meaning of the term “moment of death.” The courts have
decided that “moment of death” should be taken to mean the moment the brain stops
functioning, as measured by an electroencephalograph. This decision amounts to the
acceptance of a précising definition for “moment of death.”

A précising definition differs from a stipulative definition in that the latter involves a
purely arbitrary (or subjective) assignment of meaning, whereas the assignment of
meaning in a précising definition is not at all arbitrary. A great deal of care must be
taken to ensure that the assignment of meaning in a précising definition is appropriate and
legitimate for the context within which the term is to be employed.

4. Theoretical Definitions
A theoretical definition assigns a meaning to a word by suggesting a theory that gives
a certain characterization to the entities that the term denotes. Such a definition
provides a way of viewing or conceiving these entities that suggests deductive
consequences, further investigation (experimental or otherwise), and whatever else
would be entailed by the acceptance of a theory governing these entities.
 The definition of the term ‘‘heat‘‘ found in texts dealing with the kinetic theory of heat
provides a good example:
‘‘heat” means the energy associated with the random motion of the molecules of a
“substance.” This definition does more than merely assign a meaning to a word; it
provides a way of conceiving the physical phenomenon that is heat. In so doing, it suggests
the deductive consequence that as the molecules of a substance speed up the temperature
of the substance increases. In addition, it suggests a number of experiments- experiments
investigating the relationship between molecular velocity and the phenomena of radiation,
gas pressure, molecular elasticity, and molecular configuration. In short, this definition of
‘‘heat‘‘ provides the impetus for an entire theory about heat.
However, not all theoretical definitions are associated with science. Many terms in
philosophy, such as ‘‘substance”, ‘‘form”, ‘cause”, ‘‘change‘‘, ‘‘idea”, ‘‘good”, ‘‘mind”,
and ‘‘God” have been given theoretical definitions. In fact, most of the major philosophers
in history have given these terms their own peculiar theoretical definitions, and this fact
accounts in part for the unique character of their respective philosophies. For example,
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz‘s definition of ‘‘substance” in terms of what he called
‘‘monads” laid the foundation for his metaphysical theory, and John Stuart Mill‘s definition
of ‘‘good” as the greatest happiness of the greatest number provided the underpinnings for
his utilitarian theory of ethics.
Like stipulative definitions, theoretical definitions are neither true nor false. The
reason is that theoretical definitions function as proposals to see or interpret some
phenomenon in a certain way. Since proposals have no truth value, neither do theoretical
definitions. They may, however, be more or less interesting or more or less fruitful,
depending on the deductive consequences they entail and on the outcome of the
experiments they suggest.

5. Persuasive Definitions
The four categories we have discussed so far are concerned chiefly with the informative
use of language. But definitions are also used at times to express feelings as well, so as to
influence the conduct of others. A definition put forward to resolve a dispute by influencing
attitudes or stirring emotions may be called a persuasive definition.
Persuasive definitions are common in political argument. From the left we hear socialism
defined as “democracy extended to the economic sphere.” From the right we hear
capitalism defined as “freedom in the economic sphere.” The directive intent of the emotive
language in these definitions is obvious—but emotive coloration may also be injected
subtly into wording that purports to be a correct lexical definition, and that appears on the
surface to be that. As we seek to distinguish good reasoning from bad, we must be on guard
against persuasive definitions.
 While persuasive definitions may, like lexical definitions, be evaluated as either true
or false, the primary issue is neither truth nor falsity but the effectiveness of such
definitions as instruments of persuasion. Giving their primary objective- i.e.,
influencing the attitudes of the reader/listener- persuasive definitions may be used
with considerable effectiveness in political speeches and editorial columns.

KINDS OF DEFINITIONS
Definitions are classified into various types by various logicians. At times, some of these types
differ from each other, and they appear to be contradictory to each other. Let us try to see and
discuss some of these types classified by logicians..
One classification is:
1. Nominal Definition
- Nominal Definition is a definition which speaks about a term but not declaring anything
about it. This is done by considering the origin of the term, by describing the term, by
giving the synonym of the term or by citing an example that will represent the term.
Second classification is:
2. Real Definition
- Real Definition declares something about the term. This kind of definition serves to
explain about the nature and to distinguish it from other terms. In other words, real
definition explains the meaning of a term by way of recounting the content of an idea
with accuracy or completeness.

RULES OF DEFINITION
Definition has the power to explain something effectively only and only when the definition is
perfect and complete and faultless. Such a perfect complete faultless definition is called a good
definition. Whenever we want to define anything, we always want to give such perfect definitions,
but we seldom know the basic rules of a good definition. A good definition must follow certain
rules in order to be effective. These rules state that:

1. The definition must be clearer than the term that is being defined. The purpose of the
definition is to explain and must, therefore be easy to understand. It must not contain terms
which will only make it less intelligible

2. The definition must not contain the term being defined. The definition must use other terms
in defining. It is supposed to explain a particular term and is not supposed to use the same
term in the explanation.
3. The definition must be convertible with the term being defined. The purpose of this rule is
to make sure that the definition is equal in extension with the term being defined. The
definition must not be too narrow nor too broad. If the term and the definition are equal in
extension, then, they are convertible.

4. The definition must not be negative but positive whenever possible. The definition is
supposed to explain what a term or object is, and not, what it is not. Only when a tern is
negative should the definition be negative.