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Failure to Elucidate
Definition
The definition is harder to understand than the term being
defined.
Examples
- Someone is lascivious if and only if he is wanton.
(The term being defined is "lascivious". But the meaning of the
term "wanton" is just as obscure as the term "lascivious". So
this definition fails to elucidate.)
- An object is beautiful if and only if it is aesthetically
successful.
(The term "aesthetically successful" is harder
to understand than the term "beautiful".
Proof
Identify the term being defined. Identify the conditions
in the definition. Show that the conditions are no more
clearly defined than the term being defined.
References
Cedarblom and Paulsen: 184
13 August 1996
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