The Construction of Conceptual Boundaries

Definition Theory and Scientific Classification in Classical Logic

Abstract

This study examines the ontological and epistemological scope of the definition theory, which determines the cognitive framework for objects in classical logic, and investigates the transformation of this cognitive construction that leads to scientific taxonomy. The study emphasizes that definition is not so much an existential proof of an object as a logical tool that reveals its nature. The epistemological limits of definition are discussed through the observation that individual singularities, the highest genera, and direct sensory experiences cannot be confined to conceptual parameters. The study explores how the conceptual framework, freed from the ambiguity of everyday language, evolved into an objective scientific classification through experience, observation, and causal connections. Finally, within the context of Aristotle and the Islamic logician tradition, the conceptual unity between the questions "what is?" and "why?" is analyzed, supporting the idea that explaining the reason for a phenomenon's existence leads to constructing its perfect definition.