Magnetism means a property of certain substances such as iron, cobalt, and nickel that

I. Determine whether the following definitions are stipulative, lexical, precising, theoretical, or persuasive.

5. “Magnetism” means a property of certain substances such as iron, cobalt, and nickel that arises from the spin of the electrons in the unfilled inner shell of the atoms that compose the substance.

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A stipulative definition assigns a meaning to a word for the first time. This may involve either coining a new word or giving a new meaning to an old word. The purpose of a stip­ulative definition is usually to replace a more complex expression with a simpler one.

A lexical definition is used to report the meaning that a word already has in a language. Dictionary definitions are all instances of lexical definitions.

The purpose of a precising definition is to reduce the vagueness of a word.

A theoretical definition assigns a meaning to a word by suggesting a theory that gives a certain characterization to the entities that the term denotes. Such a definition provides a way of viewing or conceiving these entities that suggests deductive consequences, further investigation (experimental or otherwise), and whatever else would be entailed by the acceptance of a theory governing these entities.

The purpose of a persuasive definition is to engender a favorable or unfavorable attitude toward what is denoted by the definiendum. This purpose is accomplished by assigning an emotionally charged or value-laden meaning to a word while making it appear that the word really has (or ought to have) that meaning in the language in which it is used.