Step two: Define concepts by their intensional properties

Starting point: the reference of the meaning and the possible applicability of the source terms

  1. Split the term into as many senses as necessary. The multiple interpretations of a term can not be excluded even if we define the domain of the source terms (step 1).
  2. Detect the intensional properties of source terms.
    • Use the bottom up method and analyze the properties of the source terms.
      • Intensional properties are characteristics which express the nature/substance of a concept and provide an unambiguous recognition of an item as belonging to a category.
      • Intensional properties are the necessary and sufficient conditions for belonging to a category and they cannot be replaced without loss of meaning.
    • Distinguish between the intensional properties and the incidental or context-dependent behaviors of the source terms.  
  3. Make the recognition of the intensional properties transparent and base it on information accessible to everyone.
    • When sufficient intensional properties are implicit or not commonly accessible, the definitions are replaced by confining descriptions or refer to commonly known phenomena.
  4. Based on the intensional properties, deduce the potential properties of the concepts.
    • Potential properties are consequences of the nature of a thing.
    • They may be confined to a category or not.
    • They may appear at some instances at some time.

What if: the starting point is an existing vocabulary that we want to enrich or to expand in other fields of application? 

We follow exactly the same procedure as described in the step 2 in order to define the intentional properties of the concepts.

Expected Results

At this point we have successfully achieved an intersubjecitve and cross-disciplinary approach of the source terms!

Step two example

  1. Split the term into as many senses as necessary. The multiple interpretations of a term can not be excluded even if we define the domain of the source terms (step 1).

E.g.: “museum” is an institution but also a building.
E.g. “theater” as a building and also as a performance.
E.g.“Greece” is referred to the state, but also to the people or the geographic region.

  1. Detect the intensional properties of the source terms.

E.g.: a bachelor is defined as 'unmarried man'. Not being married is an essential property of a bachelor, because one cannot be a bachelor unless he is an unmarried man (necessary condition) and any unmarried man is a bachelor (sufficient condition).
E.g. Mother is defined “a female who has at least one child”. Being a female is a necessary property of mother but is not sufficient. She must also have a child!

  1. Make the recognition of the intensional properties transparent and base it on information accessible to everyone.

E.g.: a necessary condition for defining human being could be the DNA. But DNA is not accessible to everyone, so we have to refer to other morphological characteristics, which are accessible to everyone in order to define our term.

  1. Based on the intensional properties, deduce the potential properties of the concepts.

E.g.: potential properties of the bachelor: no children, is male or female (not a child), live alone etc. Not confined to bachelor!
E.g.: potential properties of a person: can drive a car. Not confined to person!
E.g.: potential property of an amphora: can have painted decoration. Not confined to amphora!
E.g. potential property of the mother: could be married. Not confined to mother!