Nature of Ideas/Concept Ideas • greek word “eidos” means image • building blocks of knowledge • Image of a thing • Constitutive elements make up judgements and judgements may express either truth or error • Quasi-subjects of inferential relations Nature of Ideas/Concept Phantasm of the imagination • is the 1st step to the formation of an idea Nature of Ideas/Concept Differences between the idea and the phantasm a synoptic scheme as follows: IDEA PHANTASM
a. Exists in the intellect Exists in the imagination
b. Universal Individual
c. Constant Changeable
d. Possible of immaterial and complex Not impossible of immaterial and complex
things things Nature of Ideas/Concept Apprehension - The act of the human mind by means of which it knows the essence or nature of the thing without affirming or denying whatsoever Nature of Ideas/Concept Term is defined from two points of view: a. Standpoint of its being a sign of a concept b. From the standpoint of its being the ultimate structural element into which a proposition is resolved Nature of Ideas/Concept Singular, Particular and Universal Terms Singular Terms express a concept or set of conceptual features applicable only to one individual or group Nature of Ideas/Concept Singular, Particular and Universal Terms Particular Term express only a part of a universal concept. • First stands for one individual or group w/o designating it definitely. • Second if stands for more than one but not clearly for all. Nature of Ideas/Concept Singular, Particular and Universal Terms Universal Term if refers to each of the subjects to which is can be applied that is. It expresses a concept, formal feature or nature that is applicable individually / distributively to the individuals of a certain kind. Types of Terms According to Comprehension 1. Univocal – applies exactly the same meaning to a number of different things. (e.g. color) 2. Analogical – expresses similarities that are bound up at the same time with differences. (e.g. true and good) 3. Equivocal – term in which the same sound or written sign apply equally to 2 or more different kinds of things. (e.g. light - luminous, of little weight / Second – measurement of time/ ordinal numeral. Types of Terms According to Comprehension 4. Collective or Distributive a. Distributive which is extended to or realized in each of the individuals contained within its extension (e.g. man, tree). b. Collective which applies a number of individuals considered a group (e.g. battalion, army). Concept Formation process by which a person learns to sort specific experiences into general rules or classes. Example: • With regard to action, a person picks up a particular stone or drives a specific car. • With regard to thought, however, a person appears to deal with classes. For instance, one knows that stones (in general) sink and automobiles (as a class) are powered by engines. In other words, these things are considered in a general sense beyond any particular stone or automobile. Abstract and Concrete Abstract concepts • are conceived in the mind. • ideas that can be very intricate and multidimensional or they can be easier to understand. • defined to be opposite to the concrete objects of sense experience. • refer to ideas or concepts. Abstract and Concrete Abstract concepts Examples include love, success, freedom, good, moral, democracy, and any -ism (chauvinism, Communism, feminism, racism, sexism), individuality, morality, realism, multi-syllabication. Abstract and Concrete Abstract concepts Examples: It include love, success, freedom, good, moral, democracy, and any -ism (chauvinism, Communism, feminism, racism, sexism), individuality, morality, realism, multi-syllabication. Abstract and Concrete Concrete concepts refer to objects or events that are available to the senses. Examples: It include spoon, table, velvet eye patch, nose ring, sinus mask, green, hot, walking. Definitions: • Parts of a Definition –Definiendum: The word or term or concept to be defined –Definiens: the word or group of words which are used to define (assign a meaning to) another term or concept Types of Definitions •Lexical •Precising •Theoretical •Persuasive Lexical Definition A Lexical Definition reports or describes how a term is actually used in a language. Sometimes a term has more than one definition. The ‘Idea’ of a definition i·de·a (ī-dē'ə) n. Something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity. 1. An opinion, conviction, or principle: has some strange political ideas. 2. A plan, scheme, or method. 3. The gist of a specific situation; significance: The idea is to finish the project under budget. 4. A notion; a fancy. There are at least 3 specific 5. Music A theme or motif. philosophical definitions!!! 6. Philosophy 1. In the philosophy of Plato, an archetype of which a corresponding being in phenomenal reality is an imperfect replica. 2. In the philosophy of Kant, a concept of reason that is transcendent but nonempirical. 3. In the philosophy of Hegel, absolute truth; the complete and ultimate product of reason. 7. Obsolete A mental image of something remembered. Precising Definition A Precising Definition is designed to reduce the vagueness of a term in use. This is a kind of stipulative definition.
Example: Tom is rich.
(What does ‘rich’ mean?)
…we might extend the lexical definition by adding that
here ‘rich’ means “has more than 5 million dollars.” This makes the term PRECISE in our context. Theoretical Definition A THEORETICAL DEFINITION assigns (stipulates) a meaning to a term by suggesting a theory that gives a certain characterization of the entities the theory denotes.
Theoretical definitions are common in
mathematics and science. They fix the meaning of a term for a specific use. Examples: Theoretical Definitions Geometry: “Parallel straight lines are straight lines which, being in the same plane and being produced indefinitely in both directions, do not meet one another in either direction. ” (Euclid Elements I, Def 23)
Chemistry: “An electron is a stable fundamental
atomic particle with almost no mass and a negative charge.” Persuasive Definition A Persuasive Definition is a definition designed to produce a favorable or unfavorable emotional attitude toward whatever is denoted by the definiendum.
Persuasive definition relies upon both cognitive
and emotive meaning. Since they exceed the scope of cognitive meaning, persuasive definitions are primarily rhetorical. Persuasive Definition Examples Neutral Definition:
Abortion: In medicine, an abortion is the
premature exit of the products of conception (the fetus, fetal membranes, and placenta) from the uterus. It is the loss of a pregnancy and does not refer to why that pregnancy was lost. Unfavorable Emotive attitude definition: Abortion: The willful murder of innocent unborn children, often performed to avoid the personal and societal consequences of wanton sexual activity. Favorable Emotive attitude definition: Abortion: The constitutionally protected act of medically resolving a pregnancy for the purpose of restoring, preserving or protecting the physical or mental health of a woman. The procedure is especially useful in protecting women from potentially debilitating consequences of rape and incest. STIPULATIVE Definition A STIPULATIVE DEFINITION assigns meaning to a completely new term that had never previously existed.
• It may involve either coining of a new word or giving a
new meaning to an old word. • The goal is to propose the adoption of shared use of a novel term. • Hence, the definition is always correct (though it might fail to win acceptance if it turns out to be useless. Examples: Stipulative Definitions • If I now decree that we will refer to Presidential speeches delivered in French as “glorsherfs”, I have made a stipulate definition. • A few years ago the attempt was made at a certain zoo to crossbreed Tigers and lions. The offspring were produced from a male Tiger and female lion and a male lion and female tiger and were given the name “Tigon” and “Liger” Examples: Stipulative Definitions • Another use for stipulative definition is to set up secret codes. “Operation Desert Storm” was the code name given to military invasion of Iraq.
“Operation Rah-e-Rast” is the code name given to
the military operation of swat.
“Operation Khowakh ba de Sham” is the code
name given to military operation of Khyber Agency. Some Tools for Developing Definitions… • Point to a case of the Definiendum (ostention) • Specify the INTENSION of the term. • Enumerate (in part or whole) the EXTENSION of the term. • Make the term precise by tracing its place in a taxonomy. Ostensive (pointing) Definition By “Dog” I mean: