Definitions HQ

A Definition (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠imprint complex ideas never before in the mind — a statue can be explained to a blind man in words, though a picture cannot.

A Definition (n.) grows ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠more precise as more coexisting qualities are united under one name, but never thereby more capable of universal certainty about qualities left outside that idea.

A Definition (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠overpower constant experience: define the soul as a substance that always thinks, and you only make men suspect they have no souls.

A Definition (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠go all the way down: if the terms of every definition were still to be defined by another, where at last should we stop?

Definition (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the word "man" are not exact enough to win consent where they would be needed most — in determining life and death, baptism or no baptism.

A Definition (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be a joke at the asker's expense: to say extension is having parts outside parts is like telling someone a fibre is a thing made of fibres.

A Definition (n.) repeated ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as a solemn truth is playing with sounds: to say gravely "all gold is fusible" is no more instructive than "gold is yellow."

A Definition (n.) by ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠genus and differentia is a shortcut for quickness and dispatch, not a law of thought: "rational animal" just resolves into a list of simple ideas.

A Definition (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the only way the precise meaning of moral words can be known — and a way that leaves no room for contest; to refuse it is a want of ingenuousness.

A Definition (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠wrongly demanded of every word: much wrangling comes from some demanding definitions of terms that cannot be defined, and from definitions by rule that leave the hearer no clearer than before.

A Definition (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠only the explaining of one word by several others; languages are not made by the rules of logic, and those who made the genus-and-differentia rule gave us few definitions that obey it.