Chapter 14: Flashcards
(17 cards)
Ambiguity:
Expression is misleading if it is unclear which of a number of possible meanings is intended in a particular context.
Ex. Draw.
-Not the mere presence of more than one interpretation.
-Whether an expression is ambiguous depends on the context in which it is used.
Ambiguity and Fallacies:
Both are lack of clarity
Different Kinds of Ambiguity:
Semantic and Syntactic
Semantic Ambiguity:
Concerns Ambiguity that stems from individual words or expressions.
Ex) Football, ex) or.
Syntactic ambiguity:
concerns ambiguity that stems from grammar of sentence.
When we rewrite a sentence to remove ambiguity, we _________
disambiguate.
Syntactic ambiguity ex.
Ex. Last night I shot a burglar in my pajamas.
Ex. I have read your book and much like it.
Equivocation:
When we use the same expression with different senses in different parts of an argument.
Why is equivocation a fallacy?
Because the argument is only strong or valid if there is no change in meaning.
Ex. Hamburger is better than nothing, nothing is better than steak, therefore hamburger is better than steak.
In order for _____ of equivocation to stick, we much show that the argument is not valid or has ______ premises when the word is used in the _____ sense in each premise.
charge, false, same
For Equivocation: We substitute each meaning consistently throughout the _______ ( we must always use uniform meaning, otherwise the argument is _______).
argument, ill formed.
Definitions: Uses and types (2)
- Can help to alleviate semantic unclarity
- Caution: Not all disputes are disputes over definition.
- Providing definitions will not solve all disputes.
- Not always need definitions
- Definitions themselves can be confusing or obfuscatory.
Lexical Definition:
Provide standard meaning of word (how word actually used).
-Similar to asking other people what “x” means.
Disambiguating Definitions:
specify the intended meaning of a word or phrase.
Stipulative Definitions:
Where we assign a (new or special) meaning to a familiar term.
Cannot be true or false (explicit performatives)
Precising Definitions:
Where we make the boundary around something more precise in order to resolve vagueness.
Combine dictionary definitions with stipulative definitions.
Systematic/ Theorectical Definitions:
Definitions that give systematic order to a subject matter. Using primitive theoretical notions, we offer certain definitions which structure the subject matter.
Common procedure in math and science.
