The discussion on this question reminded me of the three paragraphs that Hartmann wrote when she was working out a definition of abnormality, in "What is Abnormal?" (2007, p. 173 - 175). She starts with something like a dictionary definition, but discovers that that is not a very useful definition, and ends up with something very different. And we now have a similar problem. Everyone's ideas on the question of what defines a drug yesterday were very good, and they correctly reflect different ways that people do in fact use the word drug, as shown, for example, in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary [OALD], where the two definitions, both for the singular form, of the noun drug are:
- an illegal substance that some people smoke, inject, etc. for the physical and mental effects it has
- a substance used as a medicine or used in a medicine (2011).
The first definition in the excellent OALD is not very good because, as we saw yesterday, whether something is legal or illegal does not change it's properties, and these seem to the important factor in deciding whether some substance is a drug or not. For example, in some countries, marijuana is legal and in others illegal, but it's the same thing every where. It does not change because politicians decide to make it legal or illegal. And the second definition fails to be very good for similar reasons: surely things are drugs before and after they happen to also be useful to doctors. Heroin, for example, did not stop being a drug just because doctors stopped using it to control pain in their patients or to help them sleep.
Like Hartmann's second definition on page 173, the definition that you worked out yesterday is much better than either of those in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. But it still seems to have some problems.
So, can you help us? What is a better definition for us to use of the word drug?
Of course, just as Hartmann does in her third paragraph (2007, p. 173, What is Abnormal Behaviour sect.), you will need to give some solid support to persuade us to agree with your new, improved definition of the noun drug. And although checking and quoting other dictionaries or sources might give you some useful ideas, simply citing another dictionary probably will not be very strong or persuasive support.
__________
References
Hartmann, P. (2007) Quest 2 Reading and Writing (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
I also checked the Oxford English Dictionary [OED], whose much longer entry for the noun drug gives several more definitions and a lot more information than the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary does, but which again doesn't help us that much, although I thought that definition 1.b was at least suggestive.
ReplyDeleteThe OED also lists a second entry for drug as a noun, according to which it means "A low four-wheeled wagon for the transportation of timber and other heavy articles;", but I think we can safely ignore this entry as irrelevant.
References
drug, n.1. (2012, March). OED Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 27, 2012 from http://oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/57982
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What is a definition of a drug?
ReplyDeleteI can sure the meaning of drug in Thai law but I can not help you make clear meaning of drug for us. What can I do now? I think I can give many definitions of drug for you to choose here:
"1. a chemical substance that affects the processes of the mind or body.
2. any chemical compound used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease or other abnormal condition.
3. a substance used recreationally for its effects on the central nervous system, such as a narcotic.
4. to administer a drug to.
5. A substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication.
6. Such a substance as recognized or defined by the US Food and Drug Administration.
7. A chemical substance, such as a narcotic or hallucinogen, that affects the central nervous system, causing changes in behavior and often addiction.
v.
8. To administer a drug, especially in an overly large quantity, to an individual.
9. To stupefy or dull with or as if with a drug; to narcotize.
Etymology: Fr, drogue
10 also called medicine. any substance taken by mouth; injected into a muscle, the skin, a blood vessel, or a cavity of the body; or applied topically to treat or prevent a disease or condition.
11 informal. any substance that can be abused for its stimulant, depressant, euphoric, or hallucinogenic effects.
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.
12 (n) nonfood physical material that alters an organism's normal func-tioning by affecting physiologic processes. Preferred homeopathic terminology is medicine or remedy rather than drug.
13 (n) a substance used in the prevention, cure, or alleviation of disease or pain or as an aid in some diagnostic procedures.
14. any medicinal substance.
15. a narcotic.
16. to administer a drug.
17. (NIHspeak) Any chemical compound that may be used on or administered to humans to help diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent disease or other abnormal conditions Regulatory definition An article or substance that is 1. Recognized by the US Pharmacopoeia, National Formulary, or official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia, or supplement to any of the above 2. Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease in man or animals 3. Intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or animals Substance abuse Any medication; the word drug also carries a negative connotation–implying abuse, addiction, or illicit use."
(2012a)
"18. The term "drug" means [any] articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals.
19. A drug is defined not only by the provision of an active substance but also by the (therapeutic, disease ameliorating) claims made in its labeling. In addition, Drugs have action in ameliorating disease. Actives must have a recognized basis for recognition (S/E), not just scientific substantiation of action" (2007)
and The last for today,
20. "A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function.[3] There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage"(2012b).
Farlex. (2012, March 27). "Drug (drug)" the free dictionary.com. Retrieved March 27, 2012 from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/drug
Guido, R., McEmber, A. (2007). Definition of a Drug [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CIIBEBYwBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.columbia.edu%2Fcu%2Fbiology%2Fcourses%2Fw4200%2FL1subsetfinal(2).ppt&ei=IMxxT4muDM2qrAe55oTKDQ&usg=AFQjCNF18VNW7KSaqeW702jMhitlDr3LXg&sig2=5icXOqL-kq8-Pr3AUVjwJg
Drug. (2012, March 13). the wikipedia.org Retrieved March 27, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug
Cartoon,
DeleteThank you for your efforts, but ...
Since we are looking for one useful definition, does it help to give a long list of contradictory definitions without telling us which might be good and which are bad definitions? Or is it just confusing?
Is the definition of the word drug in Thai law a good definition? That might be one other definition worth considering.
Legal definitions are almost always very clear, precise and useful within their very limited context, but are otherwise usually pretty awful definitions. Thai law, for example, defines a human person as that which "begins with the full completion of birth as a living child and ends with death" (Civil and Commercial Code, 1925, , § 15.). This is a perfectly good legal definition, and very similar to the Australian equivalent, but the Australian version is also useless at telling us what a person is or how to decide whether something really is a person or not in complex and controversial cases.