Definition accomplished by pointing at some of a concept's specific instances.1 For related information, please see DEFINITION, DEFINITION (DESCRIPTIVE), DEFINITION (GENUS AND DIFFERENTIA).
Elaboration
Elaboration
With some concepts, I've found ways to define them only ostensively. With the concept "reality," for example, I can't define it in terms of a genus and a differentia, because there is no wider classification to which reality belongs. (In my usage in this context, "reality" means "everything that exists.") Likewise there is nothing in reality from which I could differentiate reality. The same applies to such concepts as "identity," "non-contradiction" and "causality" - as well as many others.
Notes
1Even though this is my definition, I'm grateful for the inspiration that Ayn Rand provided me with her use of similar terminology in her nonfiction book, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology.
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