Definitions
This collection contains definitions for various concepts, with explanations of their meaning and how they differ from conventional understandings. Each definition attempts to capture a particular aspect of a term that might be intuitive but hasn't been clearly articulated before.
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Marriage
A union where society recognizes that a partner can share or exercise some of the other's rights in perpetuity.
From 1996 to 2015, public opinion on same-sex marriage in the U.S. changed dramatically. Is it possible to come up with a single definition of marriage that could cover all forms throughout history?
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Utopia
When free people no longer have any rational fears
Is utopia a worthwhile goal? In fiction, the idea of striving to create a utopia is often revealed to be a mistake. But the world is becoming a better place all the time by many measures.
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Pizza
Stretched dough topped with a savory sauce and cheese
Pizza is a great topic for a definition, partly because everybody knows and loves it, but also because it's so recognizable. But if it's instantly recognizable, do we really need a definition?
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Rational
Making choices by attempting to prove yourself wrong
We want to be rational, but if we don't have a good definition for what that means, how can we tell if we're being rational or not?
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Masculine and Feminine
Masculine: Behavior caused by a combination of pessimism and self confidence
Feminine: Behavior caused by a combination of optimism and cautionI was standing in line at a popular bagel shop, people watching, and I noticed a lot of different groups waiting with me. Something about that diversity struck me...
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Sandwich
Filling between top and bottom pieces of bread
The most common question for Definition Mining might be "what's a sandwich", or maybe more specifically "is a hot dog a sandwich?"
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Imagination
A feedback loop of expectations
Imagination is a difficult concept to define because it's so tied up in our idea of what it means to be conscious, or even what it means to be human.
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Fascism
When people believe that power comes from the position of leadership itself.
Most definition try to list a series of characteristics of what a fascist government does, but it's very hard to create a consistent list that works in every situation.
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