NAMES. 41 



tion of those branches of knowledge. Since, however, the 

 introduction of a new technical language as the vehicle of 

 speculations on subjects belonging to the domain of daily dis 

 cussion, is extremely difficult to effect, and would not be free 

 from inconvenience even if effected, the problem for the philo 

 sopher, and one of the most difficult which he has to resolve, 

 is, in retaining the existing phraseology, how best to alleviate 

 its imperfections. This can only be accomplished by giving to 

 every general concrete name which there is frequent occasion 

 to predicate, a definite and fixed connotation ; in order that it 

 may be known what attributes, when we call an object by that 

 name, we really mean to predicate of the object. And the 

 question of most nicety is, how to give this fixed connotation 

 to a name, with the least possible change in the objects which 

 the name is habitually employed to denote ; with the least 

 possible disarrangement, either by adding or subtraction, of 

 the group of objects which, in however imperfect a manner, it 

 serves to circumscribe and hold together; and with the least 

 vitiation of the truth of any propositions which are commonly 

 received as true. 



This desirable purpose, of giving a fixed connotation where 

 it is wanting, is the end aimed at whenever any one attempts 

 to give a definition of a general name already in use ; every 

 definition of a connotative name being an attempt either 

 merely to declare, or to declare and analyse, the connotation of 

 the name. And the fact, that no questions which have arisen 

 in the moral sciences have been subjects of keener controversy 

 than the definitions of almost all the leading expressions, is a 

 proof how great an extent the evil to which we have adverted 

 has attained. 



Names with indeterminate connotation are not to be con 

 founded with names which have more than one connotation, 

 that is to say, ambiguous words. A word may have several 

 meanings, but all of them fixed and recognised ones ; as the 

 word post, for example, or the word box, the various senses of 

 which it would be endless to enumerate. And the paucity of 

 existing names, in comparison with the demand for them, may 

 often render it advisable and even necessary to retain a name 



