commensurable

commensurable
Two things are commensurable if they can be ordered by some single measure. There is often a real problem about knowing whether this is so: deciding whether two persons' utilities or states of happiness can be measured one against the other, for example. In the philosophy of science two theories are said to be commensurable if the claims of one can be framed in the language of the other. When two theories are incommensurable there may be no neutral standpoint from which to make an objective assessment of the merits of the one versus that of the other.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • Commensurable — Com*men su*ra*ble, a. [L. commensurabilis; pref. com + mensurable. See {Commensurate}, and cf. {Commeasurable}.] Having a common measure; capable of being exactly measured by the same number, quantity, or measure. {Com*men su*ra*ble*ness}, n.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • commensurable — [ kɔmɑ̃syrabl ] adj. • 1361; bas lat. commensurabilis, de mensura « mesure » ♦ Didact. Se dit d une grandeur qui a, avec une autre grandeur, une commune mesure. ⇒ comparable. Lignes, volumes commensurables. Nombres commensurables. ⊗ CONTR.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • commensurable — ► ADJECTIVE 1) measurable by the same standard. 2) (commensurable to) proportionate to. 3) Mathematics (of numbers) in a ratio equal to a ratio of integers. ORIGIN Latin commensurabilis, from mensurare to measure …   English terms dictionary

  • commensurable — I adjective analagous, analogical, coequal, coextensive, coherent, commensurate, comparable, concordant, concurrent, conformable, congruous, consistent, consonant, coordinate, correspondent, equal, equivalent, even, identical in size, level,… …   Law dictionary

  • commensurable — COMMENSURABLE. adj. des 2 g. Terme de Mathématique. Il se dit De deux grandeurs qui ont un rapport de nombre à nombre, ou, ce qui revient au même, une mesure commune. Tous les nombres entiers et rompus sont commensurables entr eux. Lignes… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • commensurable — 1550s, from L.L. commensurabilis having a common measure, from com together with (see COM (Cf. com )) + L. mensurabilis that can be measured, from mensurare to measure, from mensura measure (see MEASURE (Cf. measure) (v.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • commensurable — commensurate, proportionate, *proportional Analogous words: equivalent, equal, identical, tantamount (see SAME): *reciprocal, corresponding Antonyms: incommensurable …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • commensurable — Commensurable. adj. de tout genre. Terme dogmatique. Se dit de deux quantitez qui ont une aliquote commune. Tous les nombres sont commensurables …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • commensurable — [kə men′shoor ə bəl, kə men′sərə bəl] adj. [LL commensurabilis < L com , together + mensurare, to measure < mensura,MEASURE] 1. measurable by the same standard or measure; specif., designating two quantities having a common measure which is …   English World dictionary

  • commensurable — adjective a) Able to be measured using a common standard A yard and a foot are commensurable, as both may be measured by inches. b) Related in size or scale; commensurate or proportionate …   Wiktionary

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