Chapter 3 Logic and Language. Preview of 3.1 - 3.3 Problem areas – 3.1 Proposition – 3.2...
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Transcript of Chapter 3 Logic and Language. Preview of 3.1 - 3.3 Problem areas – 3.1 Proposition – 3.2...
Chapter 3
Logic and Language
Preview of 3.1 - 3.3
• Problem areas– 3.1• Proposition
– 3.2• Subtlety of definitional terms
– 3.3• Largely unproblematic
Chapter 3.1
• This chapter is about “What is actually meant by . . . .”• Which of these concepts/terms were difficult?– Proposition– Cognitive meaning– Emotive force
• For the concepts/terms that were confusing, can someone clarify it for us by defining and giving at least one example, or the range of examples, of it?
• Why is it important to understand these concepts/terms?• Review problematic exercises
Chapter 3.2• Which of these concepts/terms were difficult?
– Ambiguity versus vagueness– Extensional definition
• Ostensive• Enumerative• Subclassical
– Intensional definition• Lexical (genus & differentia)• Stipulative• Precising• Theoretical
• For the concepts/terms that were confusing, can someone clarify it for us by defining and giving at least one example, or the range of examples, of it?
• Why is it important to understand these concepts/terms?• Review problematic exercises
Why care about definitions?
• ‘Define’ literally means to put ‘limits around’ (fr. L. de ‘about’ + finis ‘limit’).
• So, definition limits meanings.–Minimizes • vagueness (meanings shading off into other areas)• ambiguity (more than one meaning)
–Minimizes complications of “It all depends on what you mean by __________.”
Definition by extension
• Pointing (a.k.a. ‘ostensive’)– actually showing one or more cases
• Enumeration– listing individual examples
• Subclass– listing types or categories
• Exhaustive v. non-exhaustive?
Intensional definition
• Stipulative: personal, ad hoc, coined or not• Lexical: positive, descriptive, dictionary-type, though
not necessarily exclusively so• Precising: minimizes vagueness & ambiguity, to “put
a fine point on it,” to distinguish precise meaning from popular meaning
• Theoretical: places a term in a particular context; may give meaning to both term and context
• Persuasive: affective, subjective, emotive
Definition by intension
• Synonym– Another word (lit. ‘similar’ + ‘name’)
• Etymology– Linguistic genealogy (lit. ‘true’ + s ‘account’)
• Test– Establishes criteria to be met
• Genus + difference/differentia– “garden variety” definition technique: ‘x is a y [that . . . .]’
Chapter 3.2, cont’d.• Which of these concepts/terms were difficult?
– Genus versus difference/differentia– Definiendum versus definiens– Counterexample
• For the concepts/terms that were confusing, can someone clarify it for us by defining and giving at least one example, or the range of examples, of it?
• Why is it important to understand these concepts/terms?• What are the criteria for producing a good definition?
– Not to wide– Not to narrow– Not obscure, ambiguous, figurative– Not circular– Not negative if it can be positive– Not use unsuitable criteria to determine extension
• Review problematic exercises
Ways of defining: terms
• ‘definiendum’: word to be defined• ‘definiens’: words doing the defining• ‘extension’: set of objects in defined class• ‘intension’: properties of objects in class
Rules
• What is meant by essential characteristics (necessary & sufficient)?
• How can the definiens be too broad or narrow?• What is meant by circularity?• Cite examples of ambiguity, obscurity,
figurative or emotive language.
Chapter 3.3• Which of these concepts/terms were difficult?– Equivocation versus merely verbal dispute– Persuasive definition
• For the concepts/terms that were confusing, can someone clarify it for us by defining and giving at least one example, or the range of examples, of it?
• Why is it important to understand these concepts/terms?• Review problematic exercises