Term
| Why are definitions important in logic? |
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Definition
Clarifies the terms of the argument, so we can know if premises are correct or not.
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Term
| What are the 6 rules mentioned for a good definition? |
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Definition
1. A definition should be coextensive with the thing defined, neither too broad nor too narrow.
2.A definition should be clear and not obscure.
3. A definition should be literal and not metaphorical.
4. Should be brief, not long
5. A definition should be positive, not negative.
6. Definition should not be circular.
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Term
| What are the four causes of Aristotle? |
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Definition
| formal, efficient, final, and material |
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Term
| What is the efficient cause? |
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Definition
| agent, the thing or event causing the event, efficient cause of breakfast egg = chicken |
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Term
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Definition
| purpose, final cause of eye = organ for seeing |
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Term
| What is the material cause? |
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Definition
| contents, material cause of water is hydrogen and oxygen |
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Term
| What is the formal cause? |
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Definition
| essential cause, the genus plus specific differences. i.e. man = animal + mammal + rational , etc. |
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Term
| What is a ‘nominal’ definition? |
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Definition
definition agreed to by convention. example, trump suit = cards in a game of bridge that win all tricks. Quarterback = football player who calls the play in the huddle.
Definitions made up, not coming from nature |
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Term
| What is an 'essential’ definition? |
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Definition
definition that aims to capture the essence of a thing, what it really is.
example: mammal = warm-blooded vertebrate animals that possess hair and suckle their young.
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Term
What is necessary for an ‘essential’ definition?
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Definition
Definition tells you: a) the generic or general part (in case above mammal = ‘animal’) and b) the specific or differentiating part (above case, + ‘hairy and suckles their young’)
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Term
| Why are definitions important in law? |
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Definition
| Help decide the punishment for a given act. Ex. A shoots B. If intentional, could be murder. If not, could be manslaughter. |
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Term
| Why are definitions important in science? |
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Definition
| Helped to organize categories in nature. Help to predict things in nature that haven't yet been discovered. i.e. elements |
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Definition
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Term
| In which year was the Meno written? |
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Definition
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