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2. Reason / D. Definition / 1. Definitions

[specifying one word by means of others]

19 ideas
The parts of a definition are isomorphic to the parts of the entity [Aristotle]
The material element may be essential to a definition [Aristotle]
If we define 'man' as 'two-footed animal', why does that make man a unity? [Aristotle]
There can't be one definition of two things, or two definitions of the same thing [Aristotle]
Definitions are easily destroyed, since they can contain very many assertions [Aristotle]
'Nominal' definitions just list distinguishing characteristics [Leibniz]
Definition just needs negation, known variables, conjunction, disjunction, substitution and quantification [Weyl, by Lavine]
For a definition we need the words or concepts used, the rules, and the structure of the language [Tarski]
Definition rests on synonymy, rather than explaining it [Quine]
Logically, definitions have a subject, and a set of necessary predicates [Harré/Madden]
The new view is that "water" is a name, and has no definition [Schwartz,SP]
Interdefinition is useless by itself, but if we grasp one separately, we have them both [Lewis]
Definitions identify two concepts, so they presuppose identity [McGinn]
Notable definitions have been of piety (Plato), God (Anselm), number (Frege), and truth (Tarski) [Gupta]
Definitions usually have a term, a 'definiendum' containing the term, and a defining 'definiens' [Gupta]
Defining a set of things by paradigms doesn't pin them down enough [Smith,M]
Figuring in the definition of a thing doesn't make it a part of that thing [Rosen]
The Pythagoreans were the first to offer definitions [Politis, by Politis]
A definition of a thing gives all the requirements which add up to a guarantee of it [Davies,S]