Creating Accurate Definitions

Notes

It is very difficult to create a definition that includes what we want to include, while excluding what we want to exclude.

John Hodgman And Stephen Debate: Is A Hot Dog Is A Sandwich? (watch from 5:15 to 7:30)

Stephen Works Out With Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2:30 to 3:40)


Activity

  1. Write out a definition for a "chair".
  2. Swap your definition with a classmate.
  3. Read your classmate's definition.
  4. As a class, we will look at the following pictures. You must decide if each of the following are a chair according to the definition you were given by your classmate.
    1. Picture 1
    2. Picture 2
    3. Picture 3
    4. Picture 4
    5. Picture 5
    6. Picture 6
    7. Picture 7
    8. Picture 8
    9. Picture 9
    10. Picture 10
  5. As a class, discuss the mis-classifications that occurred using your classmate's definition. Why were some chairs not classified as chairs? Why were some non-chairs classified as chairs?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it