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Full Idea
The 'revision theory' of definitions says definitions impart a hypothetical character, giving a rule of revision rather than a rule of application. ...The output interpretation is better than the input one.
Gist of Idea
The 'revision theory' says that definitions are rules for improving output
Source
Anil Gupta (Definitions [2008], 2.7)
Book Ref
'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.20
A Reaction
Gupta mentions the question of whether such definitions can extend into the trans-finite.