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Essential definition الحَدّ

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Essential definition

al-ḥadd

الحَدّ

An (ḥadd) defines a thing through its parts; the complete form (ḥadd tāmm) joins the and the .

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In a picture

An essential definition (ḥadd) uses the genus and the differentia: complete with the proximate genus, incomplete with a remote one.

Explanation

The complete of human is “rational animal”.

The incomplete form (ḥadd nāqiṣ) uses the alone, or the differentia with a , such as “rational body”.

Also written as: hadd, had, real definition, ḥadd tāmm.

In the text

الْحَدُّ: قَوْلٌ دَالٌّ عَلَى مَاهِيَّةِ الشَّيْءِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَرَكَّبُ مِنْ جِنْسِ الشَّيْءِ وَفَصْلِهِ الْقَرِيبَيْنِ، كَالْحَيَوَانِ النَّاطِقِ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى الإِنْسَانِ، وَهُوَ الْحَدُّ التَّامُّ؛The essential definition is a statement that signifies the quiddity of a thing. When it is composed of the thing's proximate genus and proximate differentia, like “rational animal” for human, it is the complete essential definition.وَالْحَدُّ النَّاقِصُ: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَرَكَّبُ مِنْ جِنْسِ الشَّيْءِ الْبَعِيدِ وَفَصْلِهِ الْقَرِيبِ، كَالْجِسْمِ النَّاطِقِ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى الإِنْسَانِ.The incomplete essential definition is composed of the thing's remote genus and its proximate differentia, like “rational body” for human.

Examples

الإِنْسَانُ حَيَوَانٌ نَاطِقٌA human is a rational animal

Related terms

Practise

3 question(s) on this term, in the practice set for definition.

Go to practice · 6 questions

Test yourself

3 questions. With 6 out of 10 or more (two stars) the next term opens.

Question 1
The complete essential definition (ḥadd tāmm) is composed of…
Question 2
Which of these is the complete essential definition of human?
الإِنْسَانُ حَيَوَانٌ نَاطِقٌ
Question 3
Why is “rational body” only an incomplete essential definition of human?

Next: Descriptive definition الرَّسْم