ANALYZING CONCEPTS AND THE MEANING OF TERMS

 1. Think or look up synonyms; it is very helpful to use the Thesaurus in a word processing program.

 2. Think of antonyms or the opposite. For example, instead of thinking about "freedom" think of its opposite - a total lack of freedom. A clear description of the absence of the conditions making a person unfree will give a partial notion of freedom. Imagine the clearest and most unambiguous example or case of a person not being free. Is there any plausible way in which the person could still be said to be free in some respect? Get someone else's point of view, then modify the example.

 3. Instead of just concentrating on the noun form of a puzzling term (e.g., freedom) it is sometimes easier to analyze the term when used as an adjective, verb or adverb.

 a) (Adjective) It may be easier to describe a free act than "freedom" in the abstract.

b) (Verb) He freed the alligator from the Duluth Zoo.

c) (Adverb) She went freely (voluntarily) to the detox center.

 4. Always think of examples of how the term is used in ordinary language, and then try to extrapolate what the key features are of the use. Of course people are "free" to define words (e.g., "God") in whatever way they choose, but it comes at the expense of clarity of thought and communication.

 5. Be aware of the normative (value) dimensions of a word. Such words as "democracy," "equality," "justice," "freedom" have positive connotations; "tyranny," "discrimination," "exploitation," "coercion" generally have negative connotations.

Back to Problems of Philosophy page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~revans/phil1001.htm