Examples
This can be clarified with a well-known example. Suppose we wanted to define the phrase human being. Following the ancient Greeks (Socrates and his successors) and modern biologists, we say that human being is a species and that each individual person is a member of the species human being. So we ask what the genus, or general category, of the species is; the Greeks (but not the biologists) would say that the genus is animal. What is the differentia of the species, that is, the distinguishing characteristic of human being that other animals do not have? The Greeks said it is rationality; thus, Aristotle said, A human being is a rational animal.
However, the use of the genus–differentia definition is by no means restricted to science. Rather, it is a fairly natural definitional strategy. Here are some examples from everyday life:
| Species | Genus of definition | Differentia of definition |
|---|---|---|
| Phylum | A taxonomic rank... | ...that is below a kingdom and above a class. |
| Paperweight | An object... | ...that is small, heavy, and used to prevent papers from scattering. |
| Homesickness | A feeling... | ...of unhappiness one may experience when away from home. |
| Subtitles | A transcript... | ...of the script of a show or movie printed along the bottom of the viewing screen. |
| Mosque | A building... | ...often with high towers and domes, where Muslims worship. |
Read more about this topic: Genus–differentia Definition
Famous quotes containing the word examples:
“It is hardly to be believed how spiritual reflections when mixed with a little physics can hold people’s attention and give them a livelier idea of God than do the often ill-applied examples of his wrath.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“No rules exist, and examples are simply life-savers answering the appeals of rules making vain attempts to exist.”
—André Breton (1896–1966)
“Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)