ENG

*Composed by Gabrielle Chen-Dickens for ENG 108

Definition Arguments

IS (OR IS NOT)

Definition arguments establish criteria and attempt to persuade the audience that the specific,

contested case or thing being defined meets or does not meet the standards of those criteria.

[X] Something (a phenomenon, trend, object, person, event, action, etc.) is [is not] _________

[Y] because it has [does not have] Features/Characteristics A, B, and C (or more)

X = Y because X possesses characteristics A, B, C, etc.

X ≠ Y because X does not possess characteristics A, B, C, etc.

A, B, and C are the characteristics that define the essential nature of Category Y. In order for X

(the specific case or thing) to be classified as a member of Category Y, it must meet the criteria,

or possess the characteristics of, A, B, C, etc.

The specific case X

 A particular object,

phenomenon/trend, action,

person, event, etc.

 This is a contested case to be

defined and classified based on

whether it meets the standards

of the established criteria.

Y

 A particular category of which

X may or may not be a

member

 X might possess some but not

all of the characteristics

(criteria) to be classified as Y.

CRITERION

(CHARACTERISTIC) A

CRITERION

(CHARACTERISTIC) B

CRITERION

(CHARACTERISTIC) C

*Composed by Gabrielle Chen-Dickens for ENG 108

What is being contested in public discourse and what are you defending in a

definition argument?

(1) The classification of Thing X as being a member of Category Y (the definition of X)

(2) The definition of Category Y based on criteria to be met for membership in Category Y: The boundaries for inclusion in Category Y and the essential

attributes/characteristics (criteria) required for membership in Category Y

TYPES OF DEFINITIONS

 Aristotelian Definition (Membership in a Larger Category and the Definition of That Category Based on Attributes)

o Classification of a specific thing is based on presence and possession of specific attributes defining a given class/category

o Case/Thing X can (or cannot) be classified as a member of Class/Category Y because it meets (does not meet) the “criteria”

(possession of necessary attributes) that define Class/Category Y.

o Your argument strives to defend (1) the classification of Case/Thing X in Category Y and (2) the boundaries and definition of Category Y

based on Criteria/Characteristics A, B, C, etc. as necessary features

that must be possessed in order for anything to be classified as a

member of Category Y.

o You must determine which criteria (characteristics) are most important for membership in Category Y and then examine whether or

not X (the specific thing/case) meets those standards for membership.

 Types of Aristotelian Attributes

o Accidental criterion = “usual but not essential feature of a concept” (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson 231)

o Necessary criterion = “must be present for something to belong to the category being defined” (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson 232)

o Sufficient criteria = “all criteria that must be present for something to belong to the category being defined” (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson

232)

*Composed by Gabrielle Chen-Dickens for ENG 108

 Example: The presence of force or intimidation is necessary to classify an action as robbery rather than larceny in American criminal law. The

presence of force or intimidation distinguishes larceny (e.g., pickpocketing,

the theft of an unattended object, etc.) from robbery in American law codes.

For an action to be an undeniable instance of robbery, (1) force and (2) the

taking of property are the sufficient criteria – both must be present.

 Operational Definition

o Operational definitions involve quantifiable and measurable standards.

o These types of definitions are deployed extensively by researchers in the fields of the natural and social sciences.

o However, the problematic aspect of utilizing and working with operational definitions is that they “omit criteria that may be

unmeasurable but important” (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson 233).