Re: Why do we need definitions?

From: RPN (rumil_at_scientist.com)
Date: 06/21/04 

Date: 21 Jun 2004 09:55:22 -0700

gms2004@lycos.com (Just Playing) wrote in message news:<543191fc.0406201556.3d7232c0@posting.google.com>...
> Is it because our mental capacities are limited?
No, we need definitions in order to all of us understand what are we
talking about. For example, suppose I say "I took my wambalgour for a
walk" What am I talking about? Now, say I define wambalgour as a small
white cat, then the sentence means "I took my small white cat for a
walk".
> How much information can we compress in a definition?
We can compress as much information as needed in a definition, in
fact, if you take advanced maths, you may see that simple words like
"Compact Space" or "Torus" relate to many other terms which, in fact,
have long definitions, and so on, until you arrive to the "primal"
terms (which are terms that are left mathematically undefined)
> And how de we create a good definition?
A good definition is one that is clear, and is posted in the term of
an equivalence; that is, every wambalgour is a small white cat, and
every small white cat is a wambalgour. If there is no equivalence,
then there is no real definition

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Why do we need definitions?
    ... >> Is it because our mental capacities are limited? ... say I define wambalgour as a small ... > white cat, then the sentence means "I took my small white cat for a ... both of which are in equivalence, ...
    (sci.cognitive)
  • Re: Why do we need definitions?
    ... say I define wambalgour as a small ... > white cat, then the sentence means "I took my small white cat for a ... what you see are the pictures in your mind. ... writer) is talking about. ...
    (sci.cognitive)