what are the rules for a sound definition?

Question

in philosophy, what is required of a sound definition?

Answer 1

Sound is a noise, an auditory stimulus which is measured in decibels...
happy to help.

Answer 2

There are many warring factions within the philosophy of language as to what makes up a proper definition, I'll give you a look at one of the better ones...but first I have to define what I think a good definition is!

To define a word is to convey the meaning of it, by use of other words and/or showing an example. It seems to me that we could say that I have "Defined" a word, if someone who came upon the word for the first time and did not know what it meant, did learn the words meaning, from studying my definition. Showing someone an example of something is called "ostensive" definition, and this is one of the more uncontroversial ways, however I think your question is dealing only in language.

Alright so we have a word that we want to define, how are we going to go about doing it? A word is a "term" (or morpheme) in a language, it is made up of "phonemes" (letters), and refers to a concept, or extant being in a meaningful way to other users of that same language. The question is, how do we provide a path to the meaning of this word, using other words?

One good response is, we "atomize" the meaning. Take the word "bachelor" for example. One way to define bachelor is to provide synonyms, or another is to point to examples, but how about doing it with only other words? Start with the broadest category that fits all bachelors and work your way down until you have eliminated all others except the bachelors, watch how it happens...

A Bachelor is defined as a "Human", "Male", "who has never married". This style of definition first eliminates everything that is not human, then removes the females, then removes all those who have been married, leaving only the bachelors. Thusly the word is "defined" by exclusion of all the existent things which do not qualify as it.

So at least one way to formulate the answer to "What is a sound definition" could be: a separate set of morphemes which conveys the meaning of the word being defined, by means of "atomization", which excludes all but which fit the same category as do those which fit the meaning of the word being defined.

Answer 3

To be a good person means to know when it is better to follow the rules and when it is better to break them. I assess the situation, weigh the probable consequences, and act accordingly. Those actions may or may not be what someone else thinks I should do, but at the end of the day it is me I have to answer to. I'm not fond of wrestling with demons, so I go with whatever lets me sleep at night.

Answer 4

First I must backup a bit, and give you the rules for "rules" themselves...

Number One...The rule must be "sound," i.e. "intelligent," "sensible," and "reasonable..."

Number Two...That also stands for the definition...(but which came first? The "rule" for the definition? or the "definition" itself? How could you have one without the other? (Doo Wah!!!)

Number three...The rule must follow the mathematical formulas for "true" statements set forth in our modern day philosophical "Logic 101" textbooks...

Number four...Females of the human race are exempted from all rules during certain periods of the lunar cycle...

Hope this helped...

Answer 5

Once I was asked "What is truth?", and I answered "Truth is when some statement is acknowledged from different points of views", and that was correct. Thus, a sound definition is definition that's acknowledged by different sound men.

Answer 6

Rules? Who keeps track of all these rules and wear can I break some?

Answer 7

i would say considering all the current possible definitions, and recognizing that for most things, there isnt just one,

Answer 8

insight.