Categories Quote by Artie Shaw

What should we gain by a definition, as it can only lead us to other undefined terms?

— Ludwig Wittgenstein

Definitions are temporary verbalizations of concepts, and concepts- particularly difficult concepts- are usually revised repeatedly as our knowledge and understanding grows.

— Ernst Mayr

The word 'definition' has come to have a dangerously reassuring sound, owing no doubt to its frequent occurrence in logical and mathematical writings.

— Willard Van Orman Quine

Odd that we think definitions are definitive.

— Larry Wall

A definition may be very exact, and yet go but a very little way towards informing us of the nature of the thing defined.

— Edmund Burke

Definitions would be good things if we did not use words to make them.

— Jean-Jacques Rousseau

We are much too much inclined in these days to divide people into permanent categories, forgetting that a category only exists for its special…

— Dorothy L. Sayers

Definitions.... are never really needed, and rarely of any use

— Karl Popper

The idea is to be unrestrained by categories.

— Kurt Elling

Categorizing is necessary for humans, but it becomes pathological when the category is seen as definitive, preventing people from considering the fuzziness of boundaries,…

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Categories are gibberish to me. I understand - it helps people organize their thoughts. But you can't go too far with it.

— Fiona Apple

“Since all terms that are defined are defined by means of other terms, it is clear that human knowledge must always be content to…

— Bertrand Russell