Question 1

The essential attributes of a concept are those that are:

Accepted Answer

A) relatively superficial 
B) fundamental 
C) familiar to most people 
D) unfamiliar to most people 
E) easiest to understand 
A) relatively superficial 
B) fundamental 
C) familiar to most people 
D) unfamiliar to most people 
E) easiest to understand B

Question 2

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? love: the music of life

Accepted Answer

A) It uses metaphorical language. 
B) It uses obscure language. 
C) It is circular. 
D) It has no differentia. 
E) It has no genus. 
A) It uses metaphorical language. 
B) It uses obscure language. 
C) It is circular. 
D) It has no differentia. 
E) It has no genus. A

Question 3

What is the differentia of the following definition? A piano is a type of instrument that is played by pressing keys.

Accepted Answer

A) piano 
B) type 
C) type of instrument 
D) that 
E) played by pressing keys 
A) piano 
B) type 
C) type of instrument 
D) that 
E) played by pressing keys E

Question 4

Which of the following definitions is vague?

Accepted Answer

A) An adult is a person who is of age. 
B) A bus driver is someone who drives a bus. 
C) A desert is somewhere that gets less than 250 millimeters of rain per year. 
D) A paperweight is something used to keep papers from blowing away. 
E) Meat is food consisting of animal flesh. 
A) An adult is a person who is of age. 
B) A bus driver is someone who drives a bus. 
C) A desert is somewhere that gets less than 250 millimeters of rain per year. 
D) A paperweight is something used to keep papers from blowing away. 
E) Meat is food consisting of animal flesh.

Question 5

The genus of a concept is:

Accepted Answer

A) the person who came up with the concept 
B) a measure of how difficult the concept is to understand 
C) a broader category to which that concept belongs 
D) the best example of the concept 
E) any helpful example of the concept 
A) the person who came up with the concept 
B) a measure of how difficult the concept is to understand 
C) a broader category to which that concept belongs 
D) the best example of the concept 
E) any helpful example of the concept

Question 6

Is color ever an essential attribute?

Accepted Answer

A) No, because the color of a thing is never fundamental to what it is. 
B) No, because you can always change the color of a thing without changing what it is. 
C) No, because color is always unimportant. 
D) Yes, because the color of a thing might be fundamental to what it is. 
E) Yes, because color is always an essential attribute. 
A) No, because the color of a thing is never fundamental to what it is. 
B) No, because you can always change the color of a thing without changing what it is. 
C) No, because color is always unimportant. 
D) Yes, because the color of a thing might be fundamental to what it is. 
E) Yes, because color is always an essential attribute.

Question 7

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? gallon: the volume of matter required to fill a one-gallon jug

Accepted Answer

A) It is too broad. 
B) It uses obscure language. 
C) It is circular. 
D) It has no differentia. 
E) It uses metaphorical language. 
A) It is too broad. 
B) It uses obscure language. 
C) It is circular. 
D) It has no differentia. 
E) It uses metaphorical language.

Question 8

If we define a photograph as "a two-dimensional image of a person," which of the following would be a counterexample?

Accepted Answer

A) a three-dimensional image of a person 
B) a two-dimensional image of a cat 
C) a two-dimensional image of Ozzy Osbourne 
D) Ozzy Osbourne 
E) a photo album 
A) a three-dimensional image of a person 
B) a two-dimensional image of a cat 
C) a two-dimensional image of Ozzy Osbourne 
D) Ozzy Osbourne 
E) a photo album

Question 9

What is/are the differentia of the following definition? A diocese is the geographical region under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of a bishop.

Accepted Answer

A) diocese 
B) region 
C) jurisdiction 
D) geographical and under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of a bishop 
E) There are no differentia. 
A) diocese 
B) region 
C) jurisdiction 
D) geographical and under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of a bishop 
E) There are no differentia.

Question 10

Which of the following would be the best genus for a definition of ice hockey?

Accepted Answer

A) activity 
B) pastime 
C) Canadian 
D) sport 
E) event 
A) activity 
B) pastime 
C) Canadian 
D) sport 
E) event

Question 11

Can a definition violate one of the rules and still be meaningful?

Accepted Answer

A) No, since a violation of the rules would make the definition self-contradictory. 
B) No, since a violation of the rules would reduce the definition to complete nonsense. 
C) Yes, but only when the problem is that the definition is too narrow or too broad. 
D) Yes, because it might still contain helpful information about the concept. 
E) Yes, but only when the problem is that the definition lacks a genus. 
A) No, since a violation of the rules would make the definition self-contradictory. 
B) No, since a violation of the rules would reduce the definition to complete nonsense. 
C) Yes, but only when the problem is that the definition is too narrow or too broad. 
D) Yes, because it might still contain helpful information about the concept. 
E) Yes, but only when the problem is that the definition lacks a genus.

Question 12

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? bed: a piece of furniture

Accepted Answer

A) It is circular. 
B) It has no genus. 
C) It is too narrow. 
D) It uses metaphorical language. 
E) It has no differentia. 
A) It is circular. 
B) It has no genus. 
C) It is too narrow. 
D) It uses metaphorical language. 
E) It has no differentia.

Question 13

When choosing differentia, one should include:

Accepted Answer

A) every possible differentia 
B) as many differentia as possible 
C) enough essential differentia to distinguish referents of the concept from referents of other concepts in the same genus 
D) enough essential differentia to include the referents of every other concept in the same genus 
E) as few differentia as possible 
A) every possible differentia 
B) as many differentia as possible 
C) enough essential differentia to distinguish referents of the concept from referents of other concepts in the same genus 
D) enough essential differentia to include the referents of every other concept in the same genus 
E) as few differentia as possible

Question 14

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? NutraSweet: an artificial sweetener that is not sugar

Accepted Answer

A) It uses negative terms unnecessarily. 
B) It is too narrow. 
C) It uses metaphorical language. 
D) It uses obscure language. 
E) It has no genus. 
A) It uses negative terms unnecessarily. 
B) It is too narrow. 
C) It uses metaphorical language. 
D) It uses obscure language. 
E) It has no genus.

Question 15

Shown below is a concept to define, followed by the genus that has been selected for the definition.Please choose the differentia that best COMPLETES the definition.(The definition might not be perfect, but choose the BEST one.) camera: a device

Accepted Answer

A) used to take pictures 
B) handheld 
C) zoom lens 
D) consists of plastic, glass and metal components 
E) digital 
A) used to take pictures 
B) handheld 
C) zoom lens 
D) consists of plastic, glass and metal components 
E) digital

Question 16

Negative terms are usually only necessary when the concept being defined:

Accepted Answer

A) has no essential attributes. 
B) is a negative concept. 
C) belongs to a very large genus. 
D) belongs to a very small genus. 
E) is a noun. 
A) has no essential attributes. 
B) is a negative concept. 
C) belongs to a very large genus. 
D) belongs to a very small genus. 
E) is a noun.

Question 17

Circular definitions are definitions that:

Accepted Answer

A) include the word "circle" 
B) only mention the genus, but omit the differentia 
C) only mention the differentia, but omit the genus 
D) use concepts to define themselves 
E) are too broad and too narrow at the same time 
A) include the word "circle" 
B) only mention the genus, but omit the differentia 
C) only mention the differentia, but omit the genus 
D) use concepts to define themselves 
E) are too broad and too narrow at the same time

Question 18

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? moon: a large lump of rock

Accepted Answer

A) It uses obscure language. 
B) It is too narrow. 
C) It is circular. 
D) It does not state the essential attributes. 
E) It has no genus. 
A) It uses obscure language. 
B) It is too narrow. 
C) It is circular. 
D) It does not state the essential attributes. 
E) It has no genus.

Question 19

Can a definition violate more than one of the rules discussed in the chapter?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, because violating any rule would necessarily involve violating another. 
B) Yes, because every definition violates at least two rules. 
C) Yes, because a definition might be very poorly constructed. 
D) No, because the rules are all mutually exclusive. 
E) No, because a flawed definition is always flawed in exactly one way. 
A) Yes, because violating any rule would necessarily involve violating another. 
B) Yes, because every definition violates at least two rules. 
C) Yes, because a definition might be very poorly constructed. 
D) No, because the rules are all mutually exclusive. 
E) No, because a flawed definition is always flawed in exactly one way.

Question 20

What is the genus in the following definition? The horizon is the line of separation between the sky and the earth.

Accepted Answer

A) horizon 
B) sky 
C) line of separation 
D) earth 
E) There is no genus. 
A) horizon 
B) sky 
C) line of separation 
D) earth 
E) There is no genus.

The essential attributes of a concept are those that are:

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? love: the music of life

What is the differentia of the following definition? A piano is a type of instrument that is played by pressing keys.

Which of the following definitions is vague?

The genus of a concept is:

Is color ever an essential attribute?

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? gallon: the volume of matter required to fill a one-gallon jug

If we define a photograph as "a two-dimensional image of a person," which of the following would be a counterexample?

What is/are the differentia of the following definition? A diocese is the geographical region under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of a bishop.

Which of the following would be the best genus for a definition of ice hockey?

Can a definition violate one of the rules and still be meaningful?

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? bed: a piece of furniture

When choosing differentia, one should include:

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? NutraSweet: an artificial sweetener that is not sugar

Shown below is a concept to define, followed by the genus that has been selected for the definition.Please choose the differentia that best COMPLETES the definition.(The definition might not be perfect, but choose the BEST one.) camera: a device

Negative terms are usually only necessary when the concept being defined:

Circular definitions are definitions that:

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? moon: a large lump of rock

Can a definition violate more than one of the rules discussed in the chapter?

What is the genus in the following definition? The horizon is the line of separation between the sky and the earth.

Classification

Propositions

Argument Analysis

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters

Exam 2: Definitions

The essential attributes of a concept are those that are:

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? love: the music of life

What is the differentia of the following definition? A piano is a type of instrument that is played by pressing keys.

Which of the following definitions is vague?

The genus of a concept is:

Is color ever an essential attribute?

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? gallon: the volume of matter required to fill a one-gallon jug

If we define a photograph as "a two-dimensional image of a person," which of the following would be a counterexample?

What is/are the differentia of the following definition? A diocese is the geographical region under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of a bishop.

Which of the following would be the best genus for a definition of ice hockey?

Can a definition violate one of the rules and still be meaningful?

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? bed: a piece of furniture

When choosing differentia, one should include:

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? NutraSweet: an artificial sweetener that is not sugar

Shown below is a concept to define, followed by the genus that has been selected for the definition.Please choose the differentia that best COMPLETES the definition.(The definition might not be perfect, but choose the BEST one.) camera: a device

Negative terms are usually only necessary when the concept being defined:

Circular definitions are definitions that:

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? moon: a large lump of rock

Can a definition violate more than one of the rules discussed in the chapter?

What is the genus in the following definition? The horizon is the line of separation between the sky and the earth.

Classification

Propositions

Argument Analysis

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters