Definitional reasoning

Definition

Definitional reasoning settles a question by making a word's meaning precise: what the term requires, and whether the case at hand meets those requirements. Many disputes that look like arguments about the world are arguments about a word — and dissolve the moment the word is pinned.

Memory hook

“Settle the word, settle the question.”

What it sounds like

• It depends what you mean by…
• Strictly speaking, a … must…
• By the deed's own terms, that counts.