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Types of Definitions and Their Application

Definitions are crucial for clear thinking and precise communication. Depending on the context and purpose, different types of definitions may be appropriate.

1. Reportive Definitions​

Reportive definitions describe how a term is actually used. They report on established language usage.

Characteristics:

  • Describe actual language usage
  • Can be true or false
  • Often based on dictionaries, academic literature, or empirical research

Examples:

  • "A 'bachelor' is an unmarried adult man."
  • "In physics, 'work' refers to the product of force and displacement in the direction of the force."
  • "In everyday language, 'cool' means something impressive or fashionable."

2. Stipulative Definitions​

Stipulative definitions specify how a term should be used in a particular context, regardless of common usage.

Characteristics:

  • Establish a meaning for a specific purpose
  • Cannot be true or false, only more or less useful
  • Often used in scientific, philosophical, or legal contexts

Examples:

  • "In this study, we define 'adolescents' as individuals aged 13 to 19."
  • "For the purposes of this law, a 'vehicle' is any means of transporting people or goods that is not moved exclusively by human or animal power."
  • "In this game, we refer to the red pieces as 'hunters' and the blue ones as 'gatherers.'"

3. Precising Definitions​

Precising definitions sharpen the meaning of a vague or ambiguous term by clarifying its boundaries.

Characteristics:

  • Reduce vagueness or ambiguity
  • Retain the core meaning but clarify borderline cases
  • Neither purely reportive nor purely stipulative

Examples:

  • "We understand 'democracy' as a political system in which the government is determined through free and fair elections, fundamental rights are guaranteed, and the separation of powers is ensured."
  • "We define 'overweight' as individuals with a Body Mass Index of 25 or higher."
  • "By 'sustainable,' we mean practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

4. Persuasive Definitions​

Persuasive definitions attempt to influence attitudes or evaluations by incorporating value-laden elements into the definition.

Characteristics:

  • Contain explicit or implicit evaluations
  • Often serve rhetorical or ideological purposes
  • Mix description and evaluation

Examples:

  • "Abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being." (pro-life perspective)
  • "Abortion is a medical procedure to protect the reproductive autonomy of women." (pro-choice perspective)
  • "Taxes are state-organized theft." (libertarian perspective)
  • "Capitalism is an economic system based on the exploitation of the working class." (Marxist perspective)

Criteria for Good Definitions​

Regardless of the type of definition, there are general criteria that a good definition should meet:

  1. Clarity: The definition should be clear and understandable, without using vague or ambiguous terms itself.

  2. Appropriateness: The definition should be appropriate for the context and purpose.

  3. Non-Circularity: The definition should not use the term being defined (or its synonyms) within the definition itself.

    • Poor: "Intelligence is the ability to act intelligently."

  4. Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow: The definition should neither include too many things that do not fall under the term nor exclude relevant cases.

    • Too broad: "A chair is a piece of furniture." (includes tables, cabinets, etc.)
    • Too narrow: "A chair is a piece of furniture with four legs for sitting." (excludes three-legged chairs or office chairs with wheels)

  5. Avoid Purely Negative Definitions: A good definition should not only state what something is not but also what it is.

    • Poor: "Freedom is the absence of coercion."
    • Better: "Freedom is the ability to act according to one's own will without being hindered by external constraints."

Strategies for Working with Definitions in Critical Thinking​

  1. Clarify Definitions: Ask for definitions of key terms in discussions or provide them yourself.

  2. Identify the Type of Definition: Determine whether a definition is reportive, stipulative, precising, or persuasive.

  3. Recognize Hidden Evaluations: Be aware of implicit evaluations in seemingly neutral definitions.

  4. Identify Definition Conflicts: Recognize when disagreements stem from different definitions of the same term.

  5. Consider Context Dependence: Accept that different definitions may be appropriate in different contexts.