16 Aug. 1814

Logic

Note

Ch. Clearness Exposition

'.2. Subject of Exposition

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2

Note (a) to p.1.

(a) On this subject, for the purpose of exposition, i.e. for the purpose of ensuring clearness, the Aristotelians have given us a distinction which may be seen to be itself a source of obscurity of unclearness viz. of that sort which is termed obscurity. For the purpose of exposition one of the instruments or operations they employ is definition to which again they apply another instrument viz. division. A definition (say they) is either a definition of the name, or a definition of the thing: meaning evidently of the thing - of the object, of which the word is employed as a name. But /Now/ in the account thus given of the matter, a proposition is implied which is not true; viz. that where the definition is a definition of a thing, it is not /never is/ was the /a/ definition of the name: whereas in truth it always is.

Of the distinction which they had in view, the terms /form/ which they should have employed seems to be this - A definition is called a definition either of the word alone, or a definition of the thing by means of the word, or by means of the word, a definition of the thing signified meant to be expressed by it.

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