An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity - always yours

EXERCISES 29
not have to be precise and clear all the time. Otherwise we have to throw away
lots of jokes, poems, and ordinary conversations. Also, many words are difficult
to define. We learn words like green, warm and cold through examples and not
complete definitions. Other words like time and existence seem so basic and hard
to define even though we understand them well enough in everyday life. In any
case, it is surely impossible to define all the words we use without circularity, since
our language contains only a finite number of words.
A second misconception about definitions is to think that dictionaries provide
the most accurate and authoritative definitions. Dictionaries are of course useful
in learning a language, but dictionary entries often describe only the main usage
of a term, leaving out its more subtle aspects. An entry might also include extra
factual information that is not part of the meaning of the term. According to The
Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current English, a cat is a small soft-furred four-legged
domesticated animal. As a definition it is both too wide and too narrow, because a
small furry dog is not a cat, and a cat that has become large as a result of hormonal
injection does not thereby cease to be a cat.
Another point to remember is that a lot of terms have technical meanings, such
as inflation in economics and mass in physics. A general dictionary might not give
you the correct explanation. You need to consult a more specialized dictionary for
that particular discipline.
Finally, the definitions of many abstract concepts can be controversial. Think
of art, justice, knowledge, rationality. A short dictionary entry might be a good
start to help us think more deeply about these concepts, but we should not expect
a dictionary to give us the final word on their proper understanding.
A third misconception about definition is the belief that to know the real meaning
of a term, we have to find its original definition or meaning. Many people like
to explain X by beginning with the history of the word X. The etymological fallacy
is the mistaken idea that we always need to look at the history and original
usage of a term to decide what its current meaning is. For instance, the word
passion derives from a Latin root that means "suffering." But it would be a bad
argument to judge that a certain relationship is not really passionate because the
parties involved are not suffering. The current meaning of a word depends on how
it is actually used, and there is no reason why meaning and usage cannot change
drastically over a long period of time.
EXERCISES
3.1 Classify these definitions as reportive, precising, stipulative or persuasive:
a) Above average intelligence means "having an IQ of more than 100."
b) A camera is an instrument for taking photos.
c) Animal rights activists are people who love animals more than human
beings.
d) An atheist is a person who does not believe in the existence of God.
e) X is harder than Y = X can make a scratch on Y but not the other way
round.