Deck 2: Definitions

Question 1

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? soup: a warm, fluid food item made from a tomato base

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

Answer 1

C

Question 2

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? motorcycle: a two-wheeled vehicle

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

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following does the text mention as a function of logical definitions?

A)They reveal the many layers of metaphorical meaning in a concept.
B)They allow the person who makes the definitions to have power over others.
C)They reveal the relationships between one concept and others.
D)They help to settle heated arguments over the meaning of a word.
E)They indicate how we should feel about the concept being defined.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

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

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 5

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

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 6

Will every concept have obvious sharp borders that separate it from other concepts?

A)No, because every concept shares referents with all other concepts.
B)No, because for some concepts, sharp borders either are not obvious or do not exist.
C)Yes for concepts of visible things, but no for concepts of invisible things.
D)Yes for concepts of invisible things, but no for concepts of visible things.
E)Yes, such borders will always be obvious.

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

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

When we teach someone what a concept means by pointing out a physical example and saying, "things like that," we are providing an ostensive definition, rather than a logical one.Is it possible to provide an ostensive definition for every concept?

A)Yes, because every concept has physical examples.
B)Yes, because that is how we all learned the language as babies.
C)Yes, because everything with a logical definition also has an ostensive one.
D)No, because people won't know whether we are pointing at the thing or its color.
E)No, because some concepts do not have physical examples at which to point.

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

The genus of a concept is:

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 11

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

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

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

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? nose: a superficial protrusion harboring one terminus of the respiratory tract of a terrestrial
Vertebrate

A)It is too broad.
B)It uses negative terms unnecessarily.
C)It doesn't state the essential attributes.
D)It uses vague language.
E)It uses obscure language.

Question 14

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

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

Which of the following does the text mention as a function of logical definitions?

A)They help us to sound intelligent.
B)They provide confidence in dealing with a concept.
C)They help to correct what the dictionaries get wrong.
D)They tell us what is and what is not included in the concept.
E)They help us to distinguish what is true from what is false.

Question 16

Which of the following does the text mention as a function of logical definitions?

A)They provide us with a sense of how a concept has developed over time.
B)They provide a list of paradigmatic examples for the concept.
C)They tell us what part of speech the concept is.
D)They provide a summary statement about the concept's referents.
E)They tell us how to use the word in a grammatically correct way.

Question 17

The differentia of a concept is/are:

A)the best example of the concept
B)any helpful example of the concept
C)a measure of how broad the concept is
D)the characteristic(s) that separate it from its genus
E)the characteristic(s) that separate it from other species in its genus

Question 18

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? lukewarm: the temperature at which something is heated enough

A)It doesn't state the essential attributes.
B)It has no genus.
C)It has no differentia.
D)It uses obscure language.
E)It uses vague language.

Question 19

What is the most obvious way that the following definition violates the rules? prune: what you get when you dry a plum

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

Question 20

Are all of the definitions in a typical dictionary logical definitions?

A)Yes, because dictionary definitions are held to a very high standard.
B)Yes, because they always include a genus and differentia.
C)Yes, because logical definitions are the only kind of definition possible.
D)No, because most dictionary definitions are circular or vague.
E)No, because some dictionary definitions are not in terms of genus and differentia.

Question 21

What is the genus in the following definition? Dancing is how we express our inner feelings with our bodies.

A)dancing
B)inner feelings
C)bodies
D)express
E)There is no genus.

Question 22

Which involves a higher level of abstraction, a definition's genus or its differentia?

A)genus
B)differentia
C)they are equally abstract
D)whichever appears first
E)whichever appears second

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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

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

Question 25

If a definition is neither too broad nor too narrow, will all of the referents of the concept also be referents of the definition?

A)Yes, and all of the referents of the definition will also be referents of the concept.
B)Yes, but some of the referents of the definition will not be referents of the concept.
C)Yes, but none of the referents of the definition will also be referents of the concept.
D)No, because none will.
E)No, although most will.

Question 26

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

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

Question 27

Is the following definition too broad or too narrow? rectangle: a plane closed figure with four sides of equal length in which all angles are right
Angles

A)it depends on the identity of the person who is defining the word.
B)too broad
C)too narrow
D)both too broad and too narrow
E)neither too broad nor too narrow

Question 28

Does every definable concept have a genus?

A)Yes.
B)No, because no concept has a genus.
C)No.That is why we must sometimes use "when" or "where" instead of a genus.
D)No, because some definable concepts are too vague to belong to any genus.
E)No, but every definable concept does have differentia.

Question 29

Can a definition have more than one differentia?

A)Yes, because there can never be only one.
B)Yes, and most do.
C)Yes, but only if it has more than one genus.
D)No, because it is never necessary to have more than one.
E)No, because then the definition would define more than one concept.

Question 30

If a definition begins with "when" or "where," this is often a sign that:

A)it will be an excellent definition
B)it will be too broad
C)it will be too narrow
D)it will not include a genus
E)it will be circular

Question 31

Is the following definition too broad or too narrow? cat: a small, white, four-legged mammal

A)It depends on the identity of the person who is defining the word.
B)too broad
C)too narrow
D)both too broad and too narrow
E)neither too broad nor too narrow

Question 32

Every logical definition should include a(n) _____ and a(n) _____.

A)genus; differentia
B)differentia; example
C)example; picture
D)genus; example
E)differentia; picture

Question 33

What is the genus in the following definition? A pen is a handheld writing utensil that writes with ink.

A)pen
B)handheld
C)writing utensil
D)writes
E)with ink

Question 34

A definition should have:

A)as many genera (plural of genus) as possible
B)one genus for each differentia
C)one genus for each referent of the concept being defined
D)exactly one genus
E)no genus, if it can be avoided

Question 35

Is the following definition too broad or too narrow? spaghetti: a pasta that originated in Italy

A)It depends on the identity of the person who is defining the word.
B)too broad
C)too narrow
D)both too broad and too narrow
E)neither too broad nor too narrow

Question 36

Is the following definition too broad or too narrow? sodium: the 11th element in the periodic table of elements

A)It depends on the identity of the person who is defining the word.
B)too broad
C)too narrow
D)both too broad and too narrow
E)neither too broad nor too narrow

Question 37

A definition is too broad when:

A)it fails to include things that are referents of the concept
B)it is too wordy
C)it includes things that are not referents of the concept
D)it uses vague and obscure terms
E)it is dumbed down so that everyone can understand it

Question 38

What is/are the differentia of the following definition? Rain is what falls from the clouds and makes the ground wet.

A)rain
B)falls from the clouds and makes the ground wet
C)only falls from the clouds
D)only makes the ground wet
E)There are no differentia.

Question 39

Can a definition be both too broad and too narrow at the same time?

A)No, because these are opposites.
B)No, because if a concept has too many referents, it can't also have too few.
C)No, because if it is too broad, it will be a genus, and if too narrow, it will be a species.
D)Yes, because it can both include referents incorrectly and exclude referents incorrectly.
E)Yes, because all definitions that are too broad must also be too narrow.

Question 40

A definition should be neither too _____ nor too _____.

A)broad; narrow
B)broad; high
C)high; wide
D)wide; low
E)low; narrow

Question 41

Will there always be counterexamples when a definition is too broad or too narrow?

A)Yes.
B)Yes if it is too narrow, but no if it is too broad.
C)Yes if it is too broad, but no if it is too narrow.
D)No.
E)It depends on whether the concept itself has real referents in the world.

Question 42

Which of the following is the most essential attribute of the concept "heart"?

A)its sound
B)its color
C)its circulation of blood
D)its life expectancy
E)its smell

Question 43

Circular definitions are definitions that:

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 44

Is color ever 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 45

A definition should include:

A)the essential attributes of the concept
B)all available information about the concept
C)only one attribute of the concept
D)the etymology of the word for the concept
E)the esoteric attributes of the concept

Question 46

Which of the following definitions most obviously fails to state any essential attributes?

A)Venus is the second planet from the sun.
B)Diamond is a crystalline, carbon-based mineral.
C)Kiribati is an island nation in the South Pacific.
D)The giant panda is the emblem of the World Wildlife Fund.
E)Brackish water is water that is saltier than freshwater but less salty than seawater.

Question 47

Counterexamples are used to show that a definition violates which rule?

A)A logical definition requires a genus.
B)A definition should not be circular.
C)A definition should not use negative terms unnecessarily.
D)A definition should not be too broad or too narrow.
E)A definition should not use language that is obscure.

Question 48

A counterexample is:

A)the best example of a concept
B)any helpful example of the concept
C)a particular instance that proves a definition wrong
D)a particular instance that proves a definition right
E)an example that helps to count the strengths of a definition

Question 49

Which of the following definitions most obviously fails to state any essential attributes?

A)The Olympics is an international competitive sporting event.
B)An airplane is a flying machine that is used for transportation.
C)A regular octagon is a closed plane figure with eight equal sides and eight equal angles.
D)An angel is a divine messenger.
E)Cork is one of the major exports of Portugal.

Question 50

If we define humans as "religious animals," which of the following would be a counterexample?

A)a Muslim
B)an atheist
C)a Catholic
D)a priest
E)a squirrel

Question 51

If a definition is too broad, will all of the referents of the concept also be referents of the definition?

A)Yes, always.
B)Yes, unless the definition is also too narrow.
C)Yes, but only if the definition is also too narrow.
D)No, unless the definition is also too narrow.
E)No.

Question 52

Which of the following definitions is circular?

A)rent: money paid to a landlord
B)socks: clothing worn on the feet
C)large: the attribute possessed by something that is big
D)Scrabble: a word game played on a game board
E)curtains: interior coverings for windows

Question 53

A definition is too narrow when:

A)it is only one person's opinion
B)it doesn't say enough about the concept
C)most people would disagree with it
D)it includes things that are not referents of the concept
E)it fails to include things that are referents of the concept

Question 54

Which of the following is the most essential attribute of the concept "dish detergent?"

A)viscous liquid
B)used to clean dishes
C)green
D)pine-scented
E)creates bubbles on surface of water

Question 55

If a definition is too narrow, will all of the referents of the definition also be referents of the concept being defined?

A)No.
B)No, unless the definition is also too broad.
C)Yes, always.
D)Yes, unless the definition is also too broad.
E)Yes, but only if the definition is also too broad.

Question 56

If we define a rifle as "a handheld weapon," which of the following would be a counterexample?

A)a tank
B)a soldier
C)a bow and arrow
D)a feather
E)a uniform

Question 57

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

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 58

The essential attributes of a concept are those that are:

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

Question 59

Which of the following definitions is too narrow?

A)Paul McCartney is a member of the Beatles.
B)Russian is the language most commonly spoken in Russia.
C)Corn bread is bread that is made from corn.
D)A bottle is a glass container that is used to store wine.
E)Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States of America.

Question 60

Which of the following definitions is too broad?

A)A dog is the domesticated form of the grey wolf.
B)An insect is an ant or beetle.
C)Baghdad is the capital city of Iraq.
D)Zeus is the ruler of the Greek gods.
E)A fish is an animal that lives underwater.

Question 61

Which of the following definitions is circular?

A)near: having the property of being only a small distance away
B)swimming: propelling oneself through water through controlled movement of one's appendages
C)apex: a zenith or pinnacle
D)enteritis: swelling of the small intestine
E)couch: a piece of furniture designed for seating more than one person at a time

Question 62

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

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 63

If a concept itself is vague, can it still have a logical definition?

A)No, because logical definitions don't allow for vagueness.
B)No, because it would be impossible to find the right genus for a vague concept.
C)Yes, but the definition would also be vague.
D)Yes, but the definition would end up being circular.
E)Yes, but the definition would end up being too broad or too narrow.

Question 64

Which of the following definitions is obscure?

A)Death is when a living thing stops living.
B)Death is the end of life.
C)Death is when someone kicks the bucket.
D)Death is the cessation of one's participation in finitude.
E)Death is when someone's brain activity ends.

Question 65

Which of the following definitions is obscure?

A)Drinking is oral consumption of a fluid substance.
B)A vegan is a vegetarian who does not eat any animal products at all.
C)A pony is a short horse.
D)A cane is a stick, or sticklike device, which a person uses to maintain his/her balance.
E)Trepanning is drilling a hole in the skull down to the dura mater to relieve intracranial pressure.

Question 66

Which of the following definitions uses negative terms in an acceptable way?

A)A whale is an animal that lives in the water but is not a fish.
B)A team is a group of individuals who are not simply playing for their own benefit.
C)A lethargic person is a person who does not run or jog.
D)A silent film is a film without sound.
E)A king is a man who is not a peasant.

Question 67

Which of the following best expresses the rule about using negative terms in definitions?

A)No definition should ever have any negative terms in it.
B)Every definition should have at least one negative term so that we know what is excluded from it.
C)Negative terms are usually okay, but should be avoided if they are confusing.
D)Negative terms are usually to be avoided, but are okay when defining inherently negative concepts.
E)A definition should never have two negative terms, since that would be a double negative.

Question 68

The problem with vague, obscure, or metaphorical definitions is that:

A)they are too wordy
B)they are too precise to allow for flexibility
C)they provide too much information
D)they require too much imagination
E)they are unclear

Question 69

Which of the following definitions violates the rule against using negative terms?

A)A clean driving record is a driving record with no violations listed.
B)Timelessness is the property of not being associated with any particular time.
C)A girl is a child who is not a boy.
D)Absence is the property of not being present.
E)Junk food is food that is not good for you.

Question 70

Which of the following definitions is circular?

A)leaf: the leafy part of a plant
B)green: the color that appears between yellow and blue in a rainbow
C)Frisbee: a flat, round disc that can be tossed from person to person
D)orange: an orange-colored, small, round fruit
E)wheat: a tall cereal grass, often cultivated for human consumption

Question 71

Which of the following definitions uses negative terms in an acceptable way?

A)A fluorescent light is a light without a tungsten filament.
B)A shark is a fish without scales.
C)A bachelor is a man who is unmarried.
D)A pine tree is a tree with no leaves.
E)An enemy is someone who doesn't send you a birthday card.

Question 72

Which of the following definitions is metaphorical?

A)Life is a gift from God.
B)Life is what happens while you're making other plans.
C)Life is a biological process.
D)Life is a cabaret.
E)Life is what animals have before they die.

Question 73

Which of the following definitions is vague?

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 74

A metaphorical definition is one that:

A)has too many differentia
B)only gives the literal meaning of the word, but leaves out important connotations
C)makes you feel good about the word without telling you what it means
D)includes abstract or technical terms
E)doesn't convey the literal meaning of the concept, but only an analogy

Question 75

An obscure definition is one that:

A)uses poetic imagery and flowery language without saying anything literal about the concept being defined
B)uses abstract or technical language that is more difficult to understand than the concept itself
C)contains too much information to be useful
D)includes several useful examples of the concept being defined
E)doesn't include any examples of the concept being defined

Question 76

Does a circular definition always lack a genus, or does it always lack a differentia?

A)genus
B)differentia
C)It always lacks both.
D)It never lacks either.
E)Circularity has nothing to do with lacking a genus or differentia.

Question 77

A vague definition is one that:

A)doesn't give any precise criterion for membership in the concept
B)provides a precise criterion for membership in the concept
C)contains too much information to be useful
D)everyone can understand easily
E)only experts can understand easily

Question 78

Is a definition too vague if it uses the words "sometimes," "something," or "somewhere"?

A)Any of those three would make it too vague.
B)Only "sometimes" would make it too vague.
C)Only "something" would make it too vague.
D)Only "somewhere" would make it too vague.
E)It would depend on how those words are being used and on the concept being defined.

Question 79

If a definition uses the word "antidisestablishmentarianism," then is the definition too obscure?

A)Only if the concept being defined is less obscure than antidisestablishmentarianism.
B)Only if the concept being defined is more obscure than antidisestablishmentarianism.
C)Only if the concept being defined is very complex.
D)Definitely yes.
E)Definitely no.

Question 80

Which of the following definitions violates the rule against using negative terms?

A)Raw meat is meat that is uncooked.
B)An automobile is a horseless carriage.
C)Swiss cheese is a type of cheese with holes in it.
D)A free item is an item for which you don't have to pay.
E)A convertible is a car with a roof that can be retracted or removed.