4.4 Real and nominal definitions

About 200–300 years ago, various collections of etiquette rules were in high gear. Here's how in one of these books, “The Properties of a Decent Man,” a decent person was defined: “He connects good manners with physical and mental virtues. He must look graceful, be a good dancer, rider, hunter, but at the same time possess the learning, wit, ability to talk and knowledge of the world. By "knowing the light" is meant: kindly, but to treat with great respect with the ladies; keep quiet about your good qualities, but readily praise others; do not speak evil of anyone; under any circumstances, to keep self-control and composure ... "

How to treat this definition? Can we say that it describes the "decent people" of its time? Hardly. The image he paints is too perfect to be any widespread. Perhaps this definition is an abstract requirement? Also hardly. Although the moment of idealization is strong in the definition, it nevertheless proceeds in some way from real life and is ultimately oriented towards it.

Fluctuations of this kind are common when we analyze definitions. For the most part, definitions combine description elements with requirements elements , or prescriptions.

Take the usual explanatory dictionary. His task is to give a fairly complete picture of the spontaneously existing use of words, to describe the mean values ​​that are given to them in ordinary language. But the compilers of dictionaries set themselves another goal - to normalize and streamline the usual use of words, to bring it into a certain system. The dictionary not only describes how words are actually used, but also indicates how they should be used correctly. The description here connects with the requirement.

The difference between the description and the requirement is significant.

To describe a subject is to list the signs that are inherent in it. The description corresponding to the object is true, the corresponding is false.

The situation is different with the requirement. Its function is different from the description function. The description speaks about what the subject is, the requirement indicates what it should be.

“Water boils” is a description, and if the water actually boils, it is true. “Heat the water to a boil!” Is a requirement and cannot, of course, be considered true or false.