A stipulative definition is a type of definition in which a new or currently existing term is given a new specific meaning for the purposes of argument or discussion in a given context. When the term already exists, this definition may, but does not necessarily, contradict the dictionary (lexical) definition of the term. Because of this, a stipulative definition cannot be "correct" or "incorrect"; it can only differ from other definitions, but it can be useful for its intended purpose.[1][2]
For example, in the riddle of induction by Nelson Goodman, "grue" was stipulated to be "a property of an object that makes it appear green if observed before some future time t, and blue if observed afterward". "Grue" has no meaning in standard English; therefore, Goodman created the new term and gave it a stipulative definition.
On stipulative definitions
Stipulative definitions of existing terms are useful in making theoretical arguments, or stating specific cases. For example:
Suppose we say that to love someone is to be willing to die for that person.
Take "human" to mean any member of the species Homo sapiens.
For the purposes of argument, we will define a "student" to be "a person under 18 enrolled in a local school".
Many holders of controversial and highly charged opinions use stipulative definitions to attach the emotional or other connotations of a word to the meaning they would like to give it; for example, defining "murder" as "the killing of any living thing for any reason". The other side of such an argument is likely to use a different stipulative definition for the same term: "the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought" or "the premeditated killing of a human being". The lexical definition in such a case is likely to fall somewhere in between.
When a stipulative definition is confused with a lexical definition within an argument there is a risk of equivocation.
stipulative, definition, stipulative, definition, type, definition, which, currently, existing, term, given, specific, meaning, purposes, argument, discussion, given, context, when, term, already, exists, this, definition, does, necessarily, contradict, dictio. A stipulative definition is a type of definition in which a new or currently existing term is given a new specific meaning for the purposes of argument or discussion in a given context When the term already exists this definition may but does not necessarily contradict the dictionary lexical definition of the term Because of this a stipulative definition cannot be correct or incorrect it can only differ from other definitions but it can be useful for its intended purpose 1 2 For example in the riddle of induction by Nelson Goodman grue was stipulated to be a property of an object that makes it appear green if observed before some future time t and blue if observed afterward Grue has no meaning in standard English therefore Goodman created the new term and gave it a stipulative definition On stipulative definitionsStipulative definitions of existing terms are useful in making theoretical arguments or stating specific cases For example Suppose we say that to love someone is to be willing to die for that person Take human to mean any member of the species Homo sapiens For the purposes of argument we will define a student to be a person under 18 enrolled in a local school Some of these are also precising definitions a subtype of stipulative definition that may not contradict but only extend the lexical definition of a term Theoretical definitions used extensively in science and philosophy are similar in some ways to stipulative definitions although theoretical definitions are somewhat normative more like persuasive definitions 2 Many holders of controversial and highly charged opinions use stipulative definitions to attach the emotional or other connotations of a word to the meaning they would like to give it for example defining murder as the killing of any living thing for any reason The other side of such an argument is likely to use a different stipulative definition for the same term the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought or the premeditated killing of a human being The lexical definition in such a case is likely to fall somewhere in between When a stipulative definition is confused with a lexical definition within an argument there is a risk of equivocation See alsoPersuasive definitionReferences Cline Austin Stipulative Definitions Atheism about com About com Archived from the original on 2012 01 04 Retrieved 2017 01 10 a b Hurey Patrick J A Concise Introduction to Logic Cengage Learning ISBN 978 0534089283 full citation needed Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stipulative definition amp oldid 1179663728, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
