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Too Narrow
Definition
The definition does not include items which should be
included.
Examples
- An apple is something which is red and round.
(Golden Delicious apples are apples, however, they are
not red (they are yellow). Thus they are not included in
the definition, however, they should be.)
- A book is pornographic if and only if it contains
pictures of naked people.
(The books written by the Marquis de Sade do not contain
pictures. However, they are widely regarded as pornographic.
Thus, the definition is too narrow.
- Something is music if and only if it is played on a
piano.
(A drum solo cannot be played on a piano, yet it is still
considered music.)
Proof
Identify the term being defined. Identify the conditions
in the definition. Find an item which is an instance of the
term but does not meet the conditions.
References
Cedarblom and Paulsen: 182
13 August 1996
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