| 词条 | Ostensive definition |
| 释义 |
An ostensive definition conveys the meaning of a term by pointing out examples. This type of definition is often used where the term is difficult to define verbally, either because the words will not be understood (as with children and new speakers of a language) or because of the nature of the term (such as colors or sensations). It is usually accompanied with a gesture pointing to the object serving as an example, and for this reason is also often referred to as "definition by pointing". OverviewAn ostensive definition assumes the questioner has sufficient understanding to recognize the type of information being given. Ludwig Wittgenstein writes:
The limitations of ostensive definition are exploited in a famous argument from the Philosophical Investigations (which deal primarily with the philosophy of language), the private language argument, in which Wittgenstein asks if it is possible to have a private language that no one else can understand.[2] John Passmore states that the term was first defined by the British logician William Ernest Johnson (1858–1931):
See also{{Wiktionary|ostension}}
Notes1. ^Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Philosophical Investigations, §30. 2. ^Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Philosophical Investigations, §258. References
| last = Passmore | first = John | authorlink = John Passmore | title = A Hundred Years of Philosophy (2nd ed.) | publisher = London: Penguin (1957) | date = 1966 | location = | url = | doi = | isbn = }}
| last = Wittgenstein | first = Ludwig | authorlink = Ludwig Wittgenstein | title = Philosophical Investigations | publisher = Blackwell Publishing | origyear = 1953| year = 2001 | location = | url = | doi = | isbn = 0-631-23127-7}}
Further reading
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