definition
Let an agent explain definitions and their kinds, relay rules for good definitions from logic and lexicography, describe formal definitions in ontologies and science, and distinguish definitions from descriptions and explanations.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain definitions and their kinds, relay rules for good definitions from logic and lexicography, describe formal definitions in ontologies and science, and distinguish definitions from descriptions and explanations.
A statement of the meaning of a term, concept or object, whether intensional by stating necessary and sufficient conditions, extensional by listing members, ostensive by pointing, stipulative, lexical or operational, used in dictionaries, law, mathematics, science and ontologies where concept definitions such as cell type definitions follow formal patterns; definitions can be circular or defective, are governed by logical rules, and their limits are debated in philosophy, including the many rival definitions of philosophy itself.
What it is for: Fixing the meaning of terms.
It can be explain kinds of definition; relay rules and pitfalls; describe formal definitions; distinguish from descriptions.
Distinguishing features
Genus and differentia
Kinds by method
Logical rules
Formal and informal uses
What it looks like
Not a visible object; statements of meaning.
How it is recognised
Statement of meaning
Intensional, extensional, ostensive, stipulative, lexical, operational, ontology concept definitions; circular definitions
A description characterises without fixing meaning; an explanation gives causes; an axiom is assumed
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is studied in - and philosophy of language
is used in - as lexical definitions
is formalised in - for concepts
In practice
Families and kinds
intensional definitions
extensional and enumerative definitions
ostensive definitions
stipulative and precising definitions
lexical definitions
operational definitions
recursive and mathematical definitions
ontology concept definitions such as molecular cell type definitions
defective definitions such as circular definitions
Standards and regulation
ISO 704 and ISO 1087 on terminology and definitions
Ontology definition conventions such as genus-differentia patterns
Legal drafting rules for statutory definitions
Failure modes and hazards
Circular and too broad or narrow definitions
Confusing definitions with descriptions
Presenting contested philosophical definitions as settled
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.definition-attribute
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a definition is.
Definition.
Definition
Definition of definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a definition, and how does it differ from a description, an explanation or an axiom? definition
- Is the question about definitions in general, a kind of definition or a specific term? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What are intensional, extensional, ostensive, stipulative, lexical and operational definitions? definition
- Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Craft Writing definitions.
Practice.
Rules
Rules.
Rules
Rules.
- What rules make a good definition, and what faults such as circularity should be avoided? action
- Which references are standard? provenance
Formal
Formal definitions.
Formal
Formal.
- How are definitions written in ontologies, terminology standards and science, such as cell type definitions? provenance
- Which entry fits ontology? action
Domains Domains.
Sources.
Law
Law and lexicography.
Law
Law.
- How do statutes and dictionaries define terms? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Mathematics
Mathematics.
Mathematics
Mathematics.
- How do mathematical and recursive definitions work? provenance
- Which entry fits mathematical definition? action
Context Philosophy and history.
Attribution.
Philosophy
Philosophy.
Philosophy
Philosophy.
- What do philosophers from Socrates and Aristotle to Wittgenstein say about definition, and why is philosophy itself defined in rival ways, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral and attributed? boundary
History
History.
History
History.
- How did the theory of definition develop in logic and lexicography? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of logic? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should intensional definition and operational definition be separate entries?
- How should terminology standards be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming defective forms and domain conventions; should they be split off?