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What is the Difference Between a Definition and a Concept?

Received: 21 September 2016     Accepted: 1 October 2016     Published: 27 October 2016
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Abstract

Definitions are formulated in order to draw conclusions and to solve technical problems. Tinkering around as long as it takes, until something halfway interesting comes out or can be concluded. Definitions are cognitive and communicative functions in the first place. Concepts, in contrast, are like continua relations and visions of possibilities. Mathematics seems to be that area of intellectual activity, where the difference between concepts and definitions and consequently the difference between seeing something on the one hand and calculating it on the other hand, gapes apart most strongly and widely. In this article, we discuss this difference from several viewpoints.

Published in Science Journal of Education (Volume 4, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14
Page(s) 159-168
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Mathematics, Mathematics Education, Philosophy of Mathematics, Complementarity

References
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  • APA Style

    Michael F. Otte, Luiz G. X. de Barros. (2016). What is the Difference Between a Definition and a Concept?. Science Journal of Education, 4(5), 159-168. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14

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    ACS Style

    Michael F. Otte; Luiz G. X. de Barros. What is the Difference Between a Definition and a Concept?. Sci. J. Educ. 2016, 4(5), 159-168. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14

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    AMA Style

    Michael F. Otte, Luiz G. X. de Barros. What is the Difference Between a Definition and a Concept?. Sci J Educ. 2016;4(5):159-168. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14,
      author = {Michael F. Otte and Luiz G. X. de Barros},
      title = {What is the Difference Between a Definition and a Concept?},
      journal = {Science Journal of Education},
      volume = {4},
      number = {5},
      pages = {159-168},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20160405.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjedu.20160405.14},
      abstract = {Definitions are formulated in order to draw conclusions and to solve technical problems. Tinkering around as long as it takes, until something halfway interesting comes out or can be concluded. Definitions are cognitive and communicative functions in the first place. Concepts, in contrast, are like continua relations and visions of possibilities. Mathematics seems to be that area of intellectual activity, where the difference between concepts and definitions and consequently the difference between seeing something on the one hand and calculating it on the other hand, gapes apart most strongly and widely. In this article, we discuss this difference from several viewpoints.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

  • Universidade Anhanguera de S?o Paulo (UNIAN), S?o Paulo, Brasil

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