more from this thinker     |     more from this text

Single Idea 18889

[filed under theme 2. Reason / D. Definition / 11. Ostensive Definition ]

Full Idea

So-called ostensive definitions need not literally involve ostension, e.g. pointing, but they must involve genuine reference of some sort (in this case reference to a sample of water).

Gist of Idea

Ostensive definitions needn't involve pointing, but must refer to something specific

Source

Nathan Salmon (Reference and Essence (1st edn) [1981], 4.11.2)

Book Ref

Salmon,Nathan: 'Reference and Essence (2nd ed)' [Prometheus 2005], p.101

The 6 ideas with the same theme [definition by pointing out one or more examples]:

10019 Only what is logically complex can be defined; what is simple must be pointed to [Frege]
21551 Empirical words need ostensive definition, which makes them egocentric [Russell]
18889 Ostensive definitions needn't involve pointing, but must refer to something specific [Salmon,N]
11220 Ostensive definitions look simple, but are complex and barely explicable [Gupta]
9957 Ostensive definitions point to an object which an expression denotes [Mautner]
16549 Simple things like 'red' can be given real ostensive definitions [Lowe]