Question 1

A definition is an explanation of the meaning of a word or words.

Accepted Answer

A definition is indeed an explanation of the meaning of a word or words, typically found in dictionaries and used to understand the concept that the word represents.

Question 2

Two primary purposes of a definition are to remove ambiguity and to remove vagueness.

Accepted Answer

Definitions aim to clarify meaning by eliminating ambiguity (uncertainty of meaning) and vagueness (lack of precision), ensuring that terms are understood in a specific and clear manner.

Question 3

An extensional definition lists the qualities or properties something must possess in order to be a member of the extension.

Accepted Answer

An extensional definition identifies a member of a specific group or class by listing individual examples, rather than by stating the qualities or properties something must possess.

Question 4

An intensional definition lists the qualities or properties something must possess in order to be a member of the extension.

Accepted Answer

An intensional definition specifies the necessary and sufficient conditions for something to be a member of a set, focusing on the qualities or properties that define the concept.

Question 5

A stipulative definition gives the commonly understood meaning of a term.

Accepted Answer

A stipulative definition assigns a new or specific meaning to a term, rather than stating its commonly understood meaning.

Question 6

A theoretical definition gives the scientific meaning of a term.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A theoretical definition gives the scientific meaning...

Question 7

A persuasive definition states one person's opinion of the meaning of a term.

Accepted Answer

A persuasive definition aims to influence attitudes or affect behavior by defining a term in a way that is favorable or unfavorable, rather than merely stating one person's opinion.

Question 8

A lexical definition gives the commonly understood meaning of a term.

Accepted Answer

A lexical definition reflects the meaning of a word or term as it is commonly used or understood by people within a particular language or cultural context.

Question 9

A precising definition gives the theoretical meaning of a term.

Accepted Answer

A precising definition aims to make the meaning of a term more precise for a specific context or purpose, rather than providing its theoretical meaning.

Question 10

A stipulative definition is stated in order to give a new meaning to a term.

Accepted Answer

A stipulative definition is indeed used to introduce a new term or to give a new meaning to an existing term, often for the purposes of argument or discussion.

Question 11

A dictionary definition is a lexical definition.

Accepted Answer

A dictionary definition is indeed a lexical definition, as it provides the meaning of a word or phrase in a specific language, focusing on its use and meanings in various contexts.

Question 12

A word is vague if it has two or more meanings and we cannot tell, given the context, which meaning is intended.

Accepted Answer

Vagueness refers to a word's lack of precision or the presence of borderline cases, not necessarily to having multiple meanings. Ambiguity is the term used when a word or phrase has two or more meanings.

Question 13

A word is ambiguous if it has two or more meanings and we cannot tell, given the context, which meaning is intended.

Accepted Answer

Ambiguity in a word occurs when it has two or more possible meanings and the context does not clearly indicate which meaning is intended, making the word's interpretation uncertain.

Question 14

A word is vague if it has borderline cases.

Accepted Answer

A word is considered vague if its application is uncertain in some cases, meaning it has borderline cases where it is not clear whether the word applies or not.

Question 15

A word is ambiguous if it has borderline cases.

Accepted Answer

Ambiguity in a word means it has multiple meanings or interpretations, not necessarily that it has borderline cases.

Question 16

A borderline case is one in which we are not sure whether or not a word applies.

Accepted Answer

A borderline case refers to a situation where it is unclear or debatable whether a particular term or classification accurately applies, indicating uncertainty or ambiguity in categorization.

Question 17

This is an intensional definition: "Rock band" means a group like the Beatles, the Doors, the Animals, etc.

Accepted Answer

An intensional definition specifies the necessary and sufficient conditions for something to be a member of a category, not by listing examples. The given definition is extensional, as it lists specific examples of rock bands.

Question 18

This is an extensional definition: "Rock band" means groups like the Beatles, the Doors, the Animals, etc.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of an extensional definition, which defines a term by listing specific examples that fall under the term being defined.

Question 19

This is an intensional definition: "Square" means "a planar, four-sided figure with four equal sides and four equal angles."

Accepted Answer

An intensional definition explains what a term means by specifying the necessary and sufficient conditions for when the term applies, as done here for "square."

Question 20

This is an extensional definition: "Square" means "a planar, four-sided figure with four equal sides and four equal angles."

Accepted Answer

The answer of This is an extensional definition: "Square" means...

Quiz 3: On Socratess Two Favorite Questions