Sentence examples for circular definitions from inspiring English sources

To avoid these contradictions Russell introduced the concept of types, a hierarchy (not necessarily linear) of elements and sets such that definitions always proceed from more basic elements (sets) to more inclusive sets, hoping that self-referencing and circular definitions would then be excluded.

Other circular definitions are available.

See the discussion of circular definitions below.

But we shall also discuss circular definitions.

(ii) Under the theory, circular definitions do not disturb the logic of the ground language.

Even so, it will be useful in reading this entry to keep circular definitions in mind.

It looks like a circular definition right now.

It comes down to two: Elizabeth Bishop's circular definition of love versus Dorothy Parker's tragic telegraph.

In this theory, a circular definition imparts to the defined term a meaning that is hypothetical in character; the semantic value of the defined term is a rule of revision, not as with non-circular definitions, a rule of application.

Given Gupta and Belnap's general revision-theoretic treatment of circular definitions-of which their treatment of truth is a special case-one would expect revision-theoretic ideas to be applied to other concepts.

Hence, the objection concludes, no predicate with an essentially circular definition can be meaningful.