Work

Definition

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: This paper presents a puzzle about the logic of real definition. I demonstrate that five principles concerning definition—that it is coextensional and irreflexive, that it applies to its cases, that it permits expansion, and that it is itself defined—are logically incompatible. I then explore the advantages and disadvantages of each principle—one of which must be rejected to restore consistency.

Source: Philosophical Studies

DOI: 10.1007/s11098-022-01812-7

Author: Samuel Elgin

Institution: University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics

Subfield: Philosophy

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,890

Funder: University of California, San Diego