more on this theme
|
more from this thinker
Single Idea 9958
[filed under theme 2. Reason / D. Definition / 9. Recursive Definition
]
Full Idea
An example of a recursive definition is 'y is an ancestor of x' is defined as 'y is a parent of x, or y is a parent of an ancestor of x'.
Gist of Idea
Recursive definition defines each instance from a previous instance
Source
Thomas Mautner (Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy [1996], 'definition')
Book Ref
Mautner,Thomas: 'Dictionary of Philosophy' [Penguin 1997], p.126
A Reaction
From this example I guess that 'ancestor' means 'friend'. Or have I misunderstood? I think we need to define 'grand-parent' as well, and then offer the definition of 'ancestor' with the words 'and so on...'. Essentially, it is mathematical induction.
The
30 ideas
from 'Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy'
9959
|
'Real' definitions give the essential properties of things under a concept
[Mautner]
|
9961
|
'Contextual definitions' replace whole statements, not just expressions
[Mautner]
|
9958
|
Recursive definition defines each instance from a previous instance
[Mautner]
|
9960
|
A stipulative definition lays down that an expression is to have a certain meaning
[Mautner]
|
9957
|
Ostensive definitions point to an object which an expression denotes
[Mautner]
|
6219
|
The fallacy of composition is the assumption that what is true of the parts is true of the whole
[Mautner]
|
4782
|
'All x are y' is equivalent to 'all non-y are non-x', so observing paper is white confirms 'ravens are black'
[Mautner, by PG]
|
6881
|
Analytic philosophy studies the unimportant, and sharpens tools instead of using them
[Mautner]
|
6886
|
Counterfactuals are not true, they are merely valid
[Mautner]
|
6882
|
Counterfactuals presuppose a belief (or a fact) that the condition is false
[Mautner]
|
6885
|
Counterfactuals are true if in every world close to actual where p is the case, q is also the case
[Mautner]
|
6884
|
Counterfactuals say 'If it had been, or were, p, then it would be q'
[Mautner]
|
6883
|
Maybe counterfactuals are only true if they contain valid inference from premisses
[Mautner]
|
6896
|
Double effect is the distinction between what is foreseen and what is intended
[Mautner]
|
6897
|
Double effect acts need goodness, unintended evil, good not caused by evil, and outweighing
[Mautner]
|
6877
|
Entailment is logical requirement; it may be not(p and not-q), but that has problems
[Mautner]
|
5452
|
'Essentialism' is opposed to existentialism, and claims there is a human nature
[Mautner]
|
5449
|
Essentialism is often identified with belief in 'de re' necessary truths
[Mautner]
|
6898
|
Fallibilism is the view that all knowledge-claims are provisional
[Mautner]
|
6888
|
Fuzzy logic is based on the notion that there can be membership of a set to some degree
[Mautner]
|
4783
|
Observing lots of green x can confirm 'all x are green' or 'all x are grue', where 'grue' is arbitrary
[Mautner, by PG]
|
5439
|
The 'hermeneutic circle' says parts and wholes are interdependent, and so cannot be interpreted
[Mautner]
|
6880
|
Strict implication says false propositions imply everything, and everything implies true propositions
[Mautner]
|
6879
|
'Material implication' is defined as 'not(p and not-q)', but seems to imply a connection between p and q
[Mautner]
|
6899
|
The references of indexicals ('there', 'now', 'I') depend on the circumstances of utterance
[Mautner]
|
6878
|
A person who 'infers' draws the conclusion, but a person who 'implies' leaves it to the audience
[Mautner]
|
6887
|
Linguistic philosophy approaches problems by attending to actual linguistic usage
[Mautner]
|
6890
|
Quantifiers turn an open sentence into one to which a truth-value can be assigned
[Mautner]
|
6452
|
'Sense-data' arrived in 1910, but it denotes ideas in Locke, Berkeley and Hume
[Mautner]
|
6889
|
Vagueness seems to be inconsistent with the view that every proposition is true or false
[Mautner]
|