Which of the following groups of terms are in the order of increasing intension?
A) Mallard, duck, waterfowl, bird.
B) Waterfowl, bird, mallard, duck.
C) Bird, waterfowl, duck, mallard.
D) Duck, mallard, bird, waterfowl.
E) Mallard, waterfowl, duck, bird.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Intension refers to the internal content of a concept, that is, the number of attributes that the concept has. In the order of increasing intension, we move from more general to more specific terms. "Bird" is a very general category, "waterfowl" is more specific, including only certain kinds of birds, "duck" is even more specific, and "mallard" is a specific type of duck. This progression from general to specific increases the number of attributes required to meet the definition, thus increasing intension.

Which of the Following Groups of Terms Are in the Order